The Cold Before Dawn
by tradermare
Summary: Eric makes a pit stop on his way to a new job but will he stay after he meets the owner of the town bar? AU
1. Chapter 1

Charlaine Harris owns the characters, I'm just borrowing them.

_Many thanks to Kristin Elizabeth, LanYap, Mischievousmaya, and Pixiegiggles for helping me whip this story into shape … I am in their debt. _

_This story was started as a birthday offering for the wonderfully talented FarDareisMai2.  
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A quick glance at the map told me that if I didn't get off the interstate now, I'd be in the car for at least another hour. The decision made, I followed the exit ramp off the highway into the Nevada desert, dodging sagebrush and tumbleweeds rolling across the road in the waning light. There wasn't another car in sight, but that didn't bother me; I was used to being alone. Driving along, road signs told me that Battle Mountain had a casino, motels, and bars, all on a single street in town. The Big Chief Motel was at one end of the street, quite a distance from the casinos and bars. It was perfect.

The red lights from the Owl Club down the street cast an eerie glow through the dusty fog that swirled through the town, swaying street signs and traffic lights in its wake. I didn't see a single person, anywhere. Something about the place reminded me of that old TV show, the Twilight Zone. Maybe it was the black and white "Welcome to Battle Mountain" sign that did it.

I checked into the hotel and headed toward the Owl on foot. To my disappointment, I started hearing the thoughts of the people inside the buildings as I walked along the strip. For as long as I could remember, I was able to hear people's thoughts. Instead of learning how to block it out, I chose to avoid it and live a solitary life. It suited me. When I needed companionship, I could put up with the noise in small doses. Mostly, I just liked the quiet of living and working alone.

I was close to the Owl when I spotted another bar down a side street, in a strip mall. The script lettering on the door declared it "The Silver Dollar" bar. It looked more like my type of place. I wondered if it was open, though, since I didn't "hear" any heads inside. Actually, there was a strange sort of empty feeling in _my_ head. What the heck? I was hungry and thirsty, so I shook it off and pushed through the door.

The bar was crowded but something inside seemed a little … off. No one seemed to mind that it was as cold and dark inside as it was outside. Okay, this was creepy, but thirst won out and I found an empty bar stool. Maybe I _was_ in the Twilight Zone or something, because I felt strangely comfortable in this spooky town. I ignored the fact that I could only hear a few thoughts drifting around me instead of what I normally would hear from a crowd this size. Why ruin a good thing? While I waited for my beer, I scanned the room, my eyes immediately drawn to a beautiful blonde sitting at a booth near the dance floor. I watched as bar patrons stopped at her table, nodding as if paying their respects.

"Who is that?" I asked the bartender with a toss of my head in the blonde's direction, sitting sideways on the stool so I could talk to him while watching her.

He glanced over at the woman, who was now looking in my direction. "That's the boss lady, Sookie Stackhouse. Do you want to meet her?" He said with a sly smile.

I looked over at the blonde again and she smiled at me. Man, she was sweet. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I had been pursued by many women in my day, but I just knew she was different. She made a gesture with two fingers, calling me over to her. Without hesitation, I threw a twenty dollar bill on the bar, grabbed my beer and made my way to her table.

My telepathy came in handy at times like these, allowing me to listen in on a girl's thoughts for those important first impressions, but for some reason, I couldn't pick up any thoughts from her. I was standing at her table and she was talking to me before I even had a chance to think about that.

"Please … sit." Her voice was soft and sweet.

I slid into the booth beside her. She had perfect skin – pale and unblemished. Her light makeup and pink lipstick gave her an ethereal look. The tips of the silky smooth blonde locks curled on her shoulders and the black V-neck sweater she wore accentuated her ample chest. She was even more beautiful up close.

"Hi, I'm Eric. Eric Northman." I found my voice and put my hand out to her. I noticed her skin was cool and dry. I wondered if the rest of her body felt the same.

"Pleased to meet you, Eric. I'm Sookie. I haven't seen you in my bar before. Just passing through?"

"This is your bar?" I dodged the other question – maybe I would be staying longer than just tonight.

"Yes. I like the night life, you might say. What do you do, Eric?"

"Manual labor, mostly. I'm on my way to Wyoming for work. I hear there are some sheep ranchers looking for workmen."

"Too bad. I was hoping you'd be staying in Battle Mountain with us for a bit." She smiled coquettishly as her eyes raked over me. "There might be some work for you here … could I tempt you to reconsider?"

Why not? What's the difference between a hick town in Wyoming and one in Nevada? One solitary job was just like any other. Plus, if I stayed here, and played my cards right, I might even get laid.

"I would consider staying if I could get work. I only take jobs where I can work by myself. You know of anything like that? I am good with my hands." I winked at her, flirting.

"I can see those are worker's hands." she replied, eying my hands appreciatively. "I could make a few calls, if you would like. I know some people that might need help."

She took my hands in hers, brushing her fingertips on the rough underside. She was definitely flirting with me, too.

"Great. I'll stick around for a few days to see if anything comes up."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, until someone fed the jukebox and Sookie started swaying to the music. When a slow number came on, she asked, "Would you like to dance, Eric?"

I wasn't much of a dancer, but there was no way I turning her down. When I stood, she slid out of the booth with me and let me lead her to the dance floor. Even though I was taller, she curled against me on the crowded dance floor. Oh yeah, I wasn't going to leave town anytime soon, not with this little beauty within reach.

The evening flew by; we talked and danced, with only a few short interruptions, when Sookie went over to the bar to talk to her employees, while I remained at the booth. She was obviously in charge, and that just made me more intrigued. Soon, it was last call and I made sure I ordered another beer as an excuse to stick around as long as possible. I nursed that beer, waiting for Sookie to finish closing up the bar and calculating how I was going to get her alone. Cash bag in hand, she came back to the booth and asked if I wanted to go to her office while she put the money away. Hell, _yes_.

I followed Sookie down a dim hallway and into a small office. She placed the money in the safe while I watched from my seat on the couch. The next instant, she joined me there. I reached out and finally stroked the silky hair I had longed to touch all night. I gently pulled her to me and brushed my lips against hers, gauging her readiness. When she didn't pull away, I teased her tongue with mine, and soon we were making out like a couple of horny teenagers. My lips went to her cool throat, licking and searching for her hot spots, and then she did the same to me. Her teeth scraped my neck, and I felta sharpness that was both scary and exciting. I didn't want her to stop, and when she broke skin and sucked, the jagged sting of pleasure rippled through me, wiping all other thoughts from my head. Whatever she was doing, I liked it … a lot. _Don't stop._ I held her to my neck until the dizziness set in. She lifted her mouth from my neck and smiled at me. I caught a glimpse of sharp fangs framed by her blood red mouth just as everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

_Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters, and I'm just having a little fun with them. _

_Many thanks to my sweet friends who review as the chapter is in progress, and to my l'sistas Kristin Elizabeth and LanYap, who hold my hand, encourage me and help fix my mistakes. You are awesome! _

_Happy New Year! Best wishes to all for health and happiness in 2010._

_Enjoy!_

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_**Sookie**

He was tall, slim, and athletic, exactly what I liked in a man. His long blond hair was lighter in color on the top and sides than the darker blond hair framing his face. I wanted to brush the wind-swept, silky strands away from his face. If he was closer, I might not be able to resist. His tanned skin gave him the look of someone who worked outside. He certainly wasn't a desk jockey. I couldn't see his eyes from my booth, but I hoped they would be blue.

He walked into my bar, bringing with him the promise of something new and different. My intuition hadn't let me down tonight and I would cash in on that promise.

When I woke from my rest today, I felt a little tingle of excitement, a premonition that something good was going to happen tonight. I hadn't had that feeling in a long time. While waiting for my body to come to life, I indulged myself with fantasies of what I hoped would be in store for the evening. Maybe someone I could actually talk to would come into the bar… that would be a nice change from the "hey, babe" types that were the typical human customers. It was Saturday night, our busiest night of the week, the one most likely to bring more humans into the Silver Dollar, since the Owl could get too rowdy for someone looking for a quiet beer. We normally had a few human customers, either regulars who knew what we were and didn't care, or travelers, "roadies" as we called them, stopping at Battle Mountain on their drive across Nevada. Saturday night was the human's "night out." Folks from the outskirts came into town for entertainment and the roadies were more willing to stop for the night instead of pushing on to the next exit. If anything good was going to happen in this dusty town, I'd bet on a Saturday night.

I watched as the gorgeous stranger paid his cover charge while he glanced around the bar. He looked a little uneasy. Most of our human clientele started out that way, until we glamoured them or they got over it on their own. Our doorman and bouncer made small talk with him, and then signaled me with a wink and a smile. Our new guest probably had no idea what was in store for him tonight.

Battle Mountain was the perfect location for a vampire community. Rumors of a forthcoming announcement revealing our existence made the rounds, but it hadn't happened yet. The impending "great revelation" wouldn't really change anything here, though. We already lived amongst the locals in negotiated acceptance and secrecy. They knew we were dangerous and agreed to let us be. The few times a group of humans tried to eliminate us, their abrupt disappearance helped seal our peaceful coexistence. As long as we only fed from the willing or from the travelers, healing their fang marks and glamouring their minds into forgetting before sending them on their way, the townsfolk did nothing to "out us." It was a reasonable arrangement, and I had earned the bragging rights for setting it up.

As vampire sheriff of Area 5, I was responsible for paying tribute to the king and for resolving all vampire issues in my area. Battle Mountain wasn't exactly a vamp magnet; most of our kind were looking for a little more excitement than what this town offered. There were about thirty vamps in this area, and the problems were few. I had a reasonable relationship with the King of Nevada, since he was impressed that I had found a way for the area's vampires to live peacefully with the town's people. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished, and my "thank you" was the continued appointment as Area 5 sheriff. I suppose I was lucky that King Felipe de Castro was content and left me to run my sector without his "oversight." As long as I kept the money coming and pledged my fealty regularly, he let me be. I kept his coffers full and squashed any problems with the humans, and for the past one hundred years, this part of Nevada had been mine.

I led a quiet existence, aside from a skirmish here or there between the humans or vamps. Every so often, I grew tired of my muted existence in this town and thought of moving on, but de Castro would not even hear my petition for release from my sheriff duties. I continued to strategize ways to get out of my position, and my latest plan was to give him a special tribute, and buy my own contract so he would allow me to leave. I let myself think about that possibility for about ten seconds, since it was highly unlikely I could ever find something special enough here in Area 5. Looking outside my turf wasn't an option; encroaching on another's territory was against the law, and not my style.

My conquest for the night made his way to the bar, settling on an open bar stool right in my line of sight. I gave my bartender some time to check him out for my own protection before I moved in, and I knew it was only a matter of time before my tall stranger noticed me. That little premonition I felt upon rising encouraged me to take extra time picking out my outfit tonight. I decided on simple and elegant, selecting a black cashmere v-neck sweater with black jeans and boots over a black bra and panties. When you have a chest like mine, you can't go wrong with a v-neck. You might call it my power outfit. I looked good and I knew it, all of my "assets" being on display.

I assessed the customers at the bar and wondered if our new guest would realize all that went on in this place. Just two bar stools to the right, a female vamp was in the midst of glamouring a roadie. I watched as the human came under her thrall, while she smiled and flirted with him. It was much easier for the female vamps to feed here, since most of our travelers were men.

As owner, I started each night with a quick meeting with each of my employees. Technically, they were my minions, but I preferred to call them by the human terminology. When I arrived tonight, Bill, my bartender, was already in place behind the bar that stretched the length of the room. Not only did he serve the humans, he matched the willing donors with the vamps in the bar looking for a bite. I insisted there be no open or public feeding at the bar, so we had a special room on site just for that purpose. It was another way to promote the "don't ask, don't tell" arrangement we had with the town. Bill also served the vampire population bagged donor blood, which we called V-Juice. I purchased dark drink glasses to hide the color of the liquid, and many of the vampires were content to drink from a glass out in the bar, rather than from a neck in our playroom. I did allow glamouring on the premises, so if anyone had any questions about what was in the glass, they were glamoured into forgetting about what they saw. Bill was my eyes and ears at the bar, keeping watch over all that went down, and letting me know when I needed to step in.

Earlier in the evening, I had put Bill on alert to watch for any new customers and to listen for anything unusual from those at the bar. As he pulled out a beer for our guest, Bill glanced over at me, nodding to let me know the gorgeous blond stranger passed his cursory inspection. Another look over at Clancy, and he signaled he had no reservations about me taking this human for my own. Even though they were required to protect me as their sheriff, I appreciated how they watched over me.

Clancy was our doorman and bouncer. He collected the cover charge at the door and sized up the patrons as they entered the bar. He had connections at the local hotels and motels too. If anyone had a grasp on how many travelers checked into the local establishments tonight, he would. He might even know if any were worth watching. Like all of my employees, he was loyal and ready to fight if I needed him, but most of all, he wanted to live amongst the humans. His connections to the town's people helped us keep abreast of any impending trouble, so we could cut it off before it got out of hand. He was the poster child for coexistence.

When I spoke to Clancy earlier, he mentioned we might have some interesting prospects tonight. He had just finished collecting the cover charge from one of the female vamps living in the area. Clancy waited for her to give me a bow of respect as she passed by, before he turned to me with a dimpled smile.

Clancy knew how to flirt and I credited his Irish background; it was one of the reasons I had him at the door. He put bar patrons at ease instantly, collected their money, and had them inside for appraisal as a meal before they knew anything was different about the place. In addition to his charm, he could glamour just about anyone and was likely to sense anything out of the ordinary. He was good at his job. I smiled, recalling our earlier conversation.

I walked over to the front door, and watched Clancy as he gave me the once over as I approached. "Well, good evening, Clancy. Like what you see, do you?" I laughed. "I'm thinking we might have a busy night tonight, what do you think?"

He may have checked me out, but at least he was respectful about it. If anyone else had any intuition about tonight, it would be Clancy.

"It's a bit cold tonight, so I'm guessing we will see more outsiders than usual, and maybe a little earlier, too. The Owl is full already." He leaned over and whispered in my ear. "My girl down at the Big Chief said they were almost full by eight o'clock. She mentioned a good looking blond dude among the bunch, traveling alone." He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I laughed.

"He'll probably try to pick up some cocktail waitress at the Owl after he's lost all his money, instead of venturing down here." I shrugged. "He won't know what he's missing, right?" I waggled my eyebrows back at him. "Best get to my booth… see you later, Clancy."

Clancy knew that I was selective about my partners for feeding and fucking. I had to feed to exist, but I wasn't about to take just any old partner for a fuck. I had my own personal standards to uphold in that regard. Of course, as sheriff, I had first pick of the roadies that came to the bar, and my employees were quick to please me by pointing out the promising prospects. If my own bar had nothing to offer, I wasn't beyond going to the Owl myself to hunt. Nevertheless, I had to admit, Clancy's mention of a "good looking blond dude" had piqued my interest, so I went to my booth to watch the patrons entering the bar.

And now, that "good looking blond dude" was here, in my bar.

My personal booth afforded a good view of the bar, the door, and the dance floor. I could watch all of the patrons, making sure the vamps were behaving and the humans stayed friendly and unafraid. Sitting there for a few hours each night could get boring, but tonight that little feeling of anticipation I woke with still danced inside me, stoked by the appearance of the tall blond human. While I pondered how I would move on him, my business partner Pam appeared from the stockroom.

Pam stopped at the bar to talk with Bill, probably telling him how many more bags of V-Juice we needed to order. She glanced over at me, silently letting me know that she would be right over. Pam had been with me for the last one hundred fifty years. She was my friend, my partner, and sometimes, my pain in the ass. When her sire went to his final death 150 years ago, I adopted her as one of my own. From day one, she never gave me cause to distrust her. Like me, Pam could blend in with the humans quite nicely, and no one thought the pretty blond women were dangerous.

Pam managed the bar, while I managed the area operations. As sheriff, I used the time I spent there as a means to get to know the area vampires and humans, and I conducted a good portion of my sheriff duties from my office located in the back. Pam took care of the front of the house, and tonight she was busy. After talking to Bill, she darted over to Clancy, picked up the cash he collected from the cover charge, and then glided over to my booth. She looked me over from head to toe as if she was considering seducing me.

"Mistress, you look quite lovely tonight." She ended her words with a little growl, or was it a purr? I wasn't sure, but I took it as a compliment.

"Thanks, Pam. Looks like a decent crowd tonight. Any problems?" Pam knew I was asking if we would have enough bagged blood and traveling donors for our clientele. If we ran out, we might have "issues" with some angry vamps and I needed to know if that was a possibility.

"No problems, we're stocked. So, are you going to tell me why the sexy outfit tonight? Expecting someone?" She glanced back at the blond at the bar. Among her many talents, Pam was observant.

I gave Pam a little glare; after all, I was the sheriff and I explained as much as I cared to. "Just wanting to feel pretty tonight Pam. Don't you ever feel like that?" The look I gave her was a silent challenge – did she want to continue down this line of questioning?

"Hmm. Right, Sookie. I best get back to work. Bill might need some help at the bar tonight. I'm going to drop the money in the safe in the office. We will probably need to do that at least once more tonight."

Off she went in the direction of the office, muttering something about never having any fun. I ignored her, turning my attention back to the bar. Tall, blond, and breathing was looking at me, so I smiled at him. I heard him ask Bill who I was, and when he continued to stare at me, I waved him over. He was eager, and I held back a smile. I got a better look at him as he approached my table, and felt a little tingle of excitement at the thought of having him. If he could hold a decent conversation, we were both in for a very interesting night.

He was dressed from head to toe in denim. His blue denim shirt suited him, and brought out the color of his eyes, which were blue, just as I hoped they would be. He looked comfortable in his clothes, and he exuded a sexy confidence. The jeans he wore were tight in all the right places, and I wondered if I could send him back to the bar so I could see what they did to his backside. By the time he got to my table, I was ready to throw him on it. It had been a long time since I had seen anyone like him, and my libido awakened like it had an O-negative drip. Oh yes, tonight was turning out quite nicely.

"Please … sit." If my voice was shaky, it was only in anticipation of what was to come later. He seemed slightly unsettled too, and I thought I detected some nervousness in his voice when he introduced himself.

His name was Eric Northman.

He was sitting so close, and I couldn't stop looking at him. His face was both boyish and manly, with fine lines on his forehead, and soft stubble on his chin and cheeks. His features weren't perfect, but any imperfections only made him more interesting and unique. With an ease that surprised me, we were soon flirting. When I took his hand, I stroked the rough skin, unable to stop myself. His face might have a boyish quality, but his hands were one-hundred percent man. They were strong, hard, and huge – the kind of hands that could really hold you close… or dominate you. They were beautiful. I wanted him, and not just for one night.

I convinced him to stay in town for a few days with the prospect of a job; if I had to, I would hire him myself. Opportunities like this didn't come around here often, so I was going to make the most of it. Not only was Eric gorgeous, our conversation was flirtatious and fun. When we danced, I pressed against him, feeling our bodies against each other. I could tell he liked it as much as I did. Oh, something was coming up, all right.

While we sat at my booth, I noticed it was getting crowded at the bar. I looked around for Pam, and saw that she was down on one end of the bar serving customers, but Bill seemed to be dealing with some sort of situation on his end. I hated leaving Eric alone, not that I thought another vamp would take him, but because I didn't want to be away from him.

"Eric, I'm sorry, but I have to check something out at the bar. Can I bring you back a beer?"

"Sure Sookie. Do you need any help?" He started to follow me out of the booth, but I grabbed his big hand and stopped him. I tempered the authority in my voice when I told him to stay in the booth.

"I'll be right back, stay here."

By the time I got to the bar, it was clear that two of the area vamps were having a dispute over one of the locals, a girl named Ginger. Both vamps wanted to take her into the playroom, and Bill didn't want them to drain her. Two vamps feeding from one human spelled trouble. The girl might be willing, but I wasn't about to disturb my delicate peace with the town with an accidental draining. The two vamps, Jake and Barry, stopped talking when I approached and Bill had already glamoured Ginger into silence. She sat at the bar, still as a statue, oblivious to the drama around her. I put on my sheriff tone of voice, and let the vamps know I was displeased.

"Jake, Barry – what's going on here?" I waited for their explanation, and Jake spoke up.

"Sheriff, I saw Ginger first. She agreed to go with me, but Barry glamoured her into saying yes to him while I talked to Pam."

My voice was like ice. "Is this true Barry? Did you glamour her too?" Barry answered without looking up.

"I... Well, I didn't know at first that Jake already wanted her. Ginger didn't say anything, I thought maybe she liked… both of us." Barry's reply was quiet. He peeked up at me without raising his head, but I heard Jake snort in disgust, making me wonder if Barry was lying.

"Bill, are they telling the truth?"

"As far as I can tell, Mistress." I caught the scent of fear wafting up from the vamps, when Bill addressed me formally. I let them squirm for a few more minutes.

"Jake, Barry, my bartender is going to give you a shot of V-juice, and then I want you out of here. I don't ever want to see either one of you near Ginger again. Is that understood?"

Jake snorted again and glared at Barry. "Sheriff, she was mine first, why can't I have her? Let Barry go without."

Jake's insolence annoyed Bill. "Am I to understand you are questioning your sheriff?" Barry just sat there looking at the bar.

After giving Bill a hard glare, Jake gave in and drank his shot of V-juice, and announced, "I'm out of here."

That was exactly why I liked Bill at the bar. We could double-team the problem and get rid of it quickly.

"Bill, can you make sure that Ginger gets out of here before anyone makes a meal of her?"

"Yes, Mistress, I'll take care of it."

I glanced back at Eric. He was getting restless, and I could see that his beer was empty. I'd better get back there.

"Bill, give me a beer for my guest." I turned back to Barry. "And you better watch your step around here. I'm not happy with your behavior tonight. You wouldn't want to face any formal charges, now would you?"

"No, Sheriff." At least Barry had the good sense to keep his tongue.

I grabbed the beer from the bar and went back to my booth. Eric gave me an inquisitive look.

"Sookie, what was that about, if I might ask?"

"Just the usual Saturday night bar dispute over a girl. No harm done."

"You were really in control over there, very impressive."

"Thanks, Eric." I could see we were back to flirting. How close was it to last call? Could I last another thirty minutes? It would take that long to close up and get him in my office. In preparation for it, I tried a little glamour on him.

A nagging doubt dampened my euphoria when he didn't react to any of my attempts to glamour him while we talked. I guessed it was because we were both so excited that I couldn't get enough of his attention for my glamour to work. I wasn't about to let that stop my plan for the night from moving forward. As closing time neared and Bill announced last call, Eric ordered one final beer and I left him at the booth to check in with Bill, Pam, and Clancy.

The bar crowd was thinning out, and Bill asked, "Sookie, do you want us to stay for a while?" He looked over my shoulder at Eric.

"I only need Clancy to stay, just in case. I shouldn't have any problems glamouring him when I get him alone. Pam and Bill, you can go once you're done."

Bill handed me the moneybag, and I played with the bar receipts for a few minutes while I planned the rest of my night. I was definitely going to feed, but was I ready to fuck? It had been a long time since I had talked and danced with a human and I needed more than an easy lay. That little nagging doubt hadn't gone away, and I had better play it right if I wanted him tomorrow night as well. I grabbed the bag and went back to my booth.

"Eric, I have to put this money in the safe. Do you want to come back to the office with me?" He slid out of the booth without hesitation and I grew excited at the prospect of tasting his blood soon. I couldn't get the moneybag in the safe fast enough.

He sat on the couch in my office, waiting for me when I turned around. Even after spending most of the evening with him, I couldn't keep my eyes off him. I sat down next to him, and without a word, he tangled his hand in my hair. I savored the feel of his large hand cradling my head. It felt so good to be held like that. Even though I was a vampire for the last 500 years, I was still a woman, and I reveled in how he made me feel so small and protected with that gesture. I wanted, no, I needed him to hold me like a woman.

He pulled me to him, brushing his lips against mine, and I forgot about feeding. His lips were firm but his kisses were tender, and they rippled through my body, causing sensations I had long forgotten. He deepened his kisses, his lips strong, and his tongue caressed my lips and explored my mouth. My brain couldn't form any practical thoughts except to imprint the feel of his kisses. My tongue answered his, dipping in and out of his mouth. If we stopped, it was only to get closer to each other, and the sounds of pleasure rumbling from us was the most beautiful background music.

It took all my will power to keep my fangs retracted, the feel of his mouth on mine only made me want him more. Our lips were red and swollen from kissing. I couldn't keep my mouth from his throat any longer. I sucked and nibbled on him, bringing his blood to the surface of his skin. He nuzzled mine in return and forgot what I was doing while I reveled in his mouth on my skin. While he was busy giving me a hickey, I let my fangs come down, and I scraped them on his skin. He groaned, but didn't stop me and I wondered if he had known what I was all along. When I couldn't take any more, I slid my fangs into his neck as gently as I could, and he groaned in pleasure. When he held my head against him with those beautiful hands, I couldn't stop myself from drinking. His taste was exquisite, warm, and sweet, with hints of flavor I couldn't identify. His blood was an intoxicating elixir and I kept drawing on the bite without mercy until I felt him sag in my arms. Coming to my senses, I pushed back the exhilaration of feeding so I could glamour him. His eyes were glassy and he teetered as if he was about to black out, which is just what he did a moment later. I breathed a sigh of relief that I hadn't drained him while I savored the vestiges of his sweet blood in my mouth.

I licked the bite marks, and then healed the holes in his neck with a drop of my blood. It was always the first thing I did after feeding. No sense in tempting fate, getting caught with a human with fang marks. I checked his pulse, it was slow, but evident, and I went out to find Clancy. He was sitting at the bar, watching television. As soon as he heard me, he got up from his seat.

"Clancy, I'm going to need your help." He silenced the TV, and came around the bar.

"What's up, Sookie? Trouble?"

"Don't think so. He's passed out in the office. I didn't get a chance to glamour him. Can you find out his room and get him back there?"

"Sure, give me a minute to make a call, get my truck, and I'll be back to get him."

"Thanks." I went to find my own coat and check on Eric. He was still out cold, but didn't look like he was in any distress. Once we got him in his room, I would be in the clear. Whether he came back to the Silver Bar tomorrow night remained to be seen. I could only hope.

As I sat with him on the couch waiting for Clancy, I marveled at his physique, his beauty and remembered how he made me feel when he flirted with me. He was magnificent. I wondered what sort of vampire he might be. My fangs ran down at the thought. Oh no, I wasn't about to let him get away from me. I stroked my hand through his hair and held his big hand in mine.

In a short time, Clancy had Eric in his truck. It was a short distance to the Big Chief Motel. Clancy's friend had given him a master key, and we opened Room 22. I pulled down the covers and Clancy placed him on the bed.

"Want me to try to glamour him, Sookie?"

I looked at Eric, lying so peacefully on the bed. I knew I wanted him to come back to the bar, and I wanted him to do it without being glamoured.

"No, Clancy. Let's get out of here."

I slipped off Eric's boots, and resisted the urge to crawl into bed to hold him. I pulled the blanket over him and kissed his cheek. I then took one last look at my Eric before closing the door. I would see him tomorrow night and I would accept nothing less. After all, I _was_ Sookie Stackhouse, vampire sheriff of Area 5.

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_Will Eric come back or will he get the heck out of town? Just press the green button and let me know what you think – it's easy!_


	3. Chapter 3

Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters, and I'm just having a little fun with them.

With much love and gratitude to my l'sistas Kristin Elizabeth and LanYap, who really helped me whip this chapter into shape! You are awesome!

* * *

_She pressed up against my back, her arm resting in that natural groove of my body just above my hipbone. Her hand rested on my stomach, making little trails downward with the tips of her fingers. She pulled her chest back just enough so that her nipples grazed my flesh, causing a shudder to vibrate through me. Where her cool flesh touched mine, it left a trail of sensations that lingered long after, like rubbing an ice cube on your skin on a hot summer day. I could feel her silky blanket of blonde hair draped over my shoulder._

_She started to move, arching and relaxing, grinding against me from behind. Her curls brushed my backside, and her breasts rubbed against me, then they were gone, creating a rhythm that made me throb. I started to move in time with her, pressing our bodies together for just a few more seconds each time, increasing the friction with each wave of motion. Her hand dropped to my hard flesh and she stroked me from base to tip, in time with the other movements we made together. Each sweet stroke deepened the need in me and I knew I wouldn't last much longer. Pure desire took hold, and I turned toward her with the intention of taking her..._

I woke with a jerk, my dick throbbing. I could swear that pretty blonde from last night had just been stroking me. Still sleepy, I reached across the mattress feeling cold sheets and an empty bed. With a groan of disappointment, I realized I had awakened in the middle of a great sex dream. If my head wasn't so fuzzy, I might have gone on to "finish" on my own, but I felt like I was hit by a truck. I opened my eyes once and tried to see. When I couldn't make out a thing in the dark, I listened around me, with my ears and my head. Where was I anyway? It was difficult to concentrate with my head feeling like it was stuffed with cotton, but I could hear vehicles on a road outside, and a few faded brain signatures of other people nearby. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked around again. Gradually, my brain remembered. I was in a hotel room in some dusty little Nevada town off the interstate. I lay in bed, still fully clothed, slowly coming out of my sleepy haze, trying to recollect what had happened the night before. I didn't remember coming back here and getting into this bed.

I had been at a bar, making out with that sweet little blonde owner after closing time. Now it was coming back to me. We had been kissing on the couch in her office... My hand went to my neck. Did she bite me? I seemed to remember something like that. Did I have more to drink than I thought, or did someone spike my beer? Had I hallucinated that bite? I got out of bed to relieve myself, still feeling a little shaky. Good thing the bathroom was small and I was able to lean against the wall for support. When I finished, I looked over my neck in the bathroom mirror. There wasn't a mark on it. Just how many beers did I have? Pulling my wallet out of my back pocket, I checked for my I.D., credit cards, and money. Nothing was missing, except for about forty bucks that I would have spent at the bar. I must have passed out on the blonde's couch and she had one of her employees bring me to my room. It wasn't like me to get that drunk, but no doubt about it, Battle Mountain was a strange place, so I shook it off. Suddenly, an image of the blonde, with a bloody mouth and long teeth, dashed through my brain. What the fuck? I rubbed my eyes, and thought a shower and some breakfast would set me right. I turned on the shower, stripped, and climbed into the tiny space, and just stood, letting the hot water run over me. By the time I had washed my hair and was stepping out of the shower, I remembered her name – Sookie Stackhouse.

I felt a little better once I showered and put on some clean clothes, although I was shocked to see that it was three in the afternoon. I had been out for about twelve hours. No wonder my stomach growled as I put on my shoes. Food might be just what the doctor ordered to clear my head and set me to rights. I grabbed my wallet and keys, stuffing them in my pocket before I pulled on my jacket. I opened the motel room door as a blast of frigid air whipped me in the face. Damn, it was cold.

The Big Chief Motel was a two-story complex, with a row of rooms down both sides of the long building, with every room opening directly to the outside. The exterior was in need of a coat of paint and other repairs. It was the kind of place you wish you didn't see in the daylight because when you did, you could no longer pretend it wasn't a dump. The office was located in the very first room on the ground floor. I was surprised I didn't hear more mind chatter around the motel, but not many travelers were getting off the highway that early in the day. I pushed open the office door, ringing the little bell that was attached to the doorframe. An older man came out from a room behind the front desk.

_What does this pretty boy want? "_Can I help you?"

I snorted, thinking people were pretty much all the same. What came out of their mouths wasn't always what they were thinking.

"Where can I get a bite to eat around here?"

"Well, the Owl is open 24 hours, that's probably your best bet. There is a restaurant inside, next to the casino and bar. Or you could try the Coffee Bar, but that's more like a coffee shop than a restaurant." _Not to mention filthy, too. _

Well, that made my decision easy. I was heading to the Owl.

"I might be staying another night. Can you help me with that?"

_Hell yeah. One less room to fill later. _ "No problem. Want me to put it on your credit card? I'll need the card again."

I pulled my AmEx card from my wallet and threw it on the counter. While the manager swiped it through a little machine, I noticed again that I wasn't picking up any other minds with my "special gift." Did anyone live in this town? I was enjoying the quiet, but on the other hand, I didn't know if I should be staying here or running away as fast as I could. The place was creepy, even in the daytime. Maybe I should reconsider another night here.

The whine of a printer behind the counter woke me out of my daydream, and the manager grabbed it. He pushed it across the counter to me, tossing a pen on top of it, and setting the AmEx right next to it.

"Sign here." _Hurry up._

I scribbled my name and slid the credit card off the counter. I was already heading toward the door, opening my wallet to put it back, when the manager spoke.

"Have a nice night now, Mr. Northman." _And watch where you go after dark. _

I pushed open the office door and looked down the street to the Owl. Like the motel, the daylight showed all its blemishes, but I started walking toward it, knowing it was the best bet for any food in this town. I might even be able to ask around about the bar where I was last night, and that beautiful, yet mysterious owner. With every step in the fresh air, I started remembering more about last night. Sookie Stackhouse. There was something about the name that made me want to say it aloud. Our conversations started playing back in my head, and I remembered she offered to help me find work in this town. I looked around and wondered what work could possibly be available here. There was no one around, but I could probably blame that on it being Sunday afternoon. I'd bet the casino bar would be full of men watching football, and might be a good opportunity to ask about the Silver Dollar Bar and my new friend, after I ate.

The Owl restaurant was right next to the casino and the bar. As I suspected, the bar hosted a good number of middle-aged beer and football fans. I glanced inside and decided I would come back here for a beer. The restaurant was old-fashioned, with a counter running the length and about ten booths down the opposite wall. There were a few men sitting at the far end of the counter, and two of the booths were occupied with families who looked liked they didn't belong here, probably travelers stopping for some food. I found a seat by myself at the counter, and the thoughts of the other customers began to bombard my head.

_When is that food gonna get here? We've got to get back on the road._ The father of the family of four fidgeted in the booth, while his wife tried to get the kids under control.

_Mom always takes her side._ This from one of the kids fighting over a toy.

One of the men at the end of the counter occupied himself with images of the waitress, bent over a bar stool engaging in several sexual acts. I didn't find it erotic in the least, and I wished he would find something else to think about. Over the years had I learned how to ignore most of it, but the words and images were always there in the back of my mind, ready to burst through at any moment. I wished I could block it out completely, but that never worked for me. And if the images or words were disturbing, it was much more difficult to ignore.

Only a few people knew I had this ability. I learned to keep my own expressions in check and to try to tune out their thoughts, because early on, folks thought I was strange when I reacted to something I picked out of their mind. Even now though, every once in a while, someone might suspect I was picking up something, and would ask if I was psychic, because they didn't know the difference between my gift and seeing the future. So, I learned how to put on a certain smile to mask what I was really thinking and hearing when I interacted with people, and for the most part that seemed to work.

My mother was the first person I ever told about the mind chatter, as I called it, and I don't think she really believed me at first. After a while, she could see that I was telling the truth and she cautioned me to keep my special gift, as she called it, to myself. We didn't talk about it very much and she advised me on the "ignore it" strategy. It wasn't easy, but I gradually learned to brush off the mind chatter of others. I never knew if she had told my father about it, because they were both killed in a freak accident when I was ten. To this day, I grimace every time a weather reporter cautions folks not to drive into flooded streets during heavy rains, since the water levels can rise swiftly. I wished my father had listened to that advice. It was days before the bodies of my parents were found after the flash flood. The disaster left me an orphan.

My Gramps on my mother's side stepped in to take care of me, and I went to live on his farm in Louisiana. He was a widower and I think he enjoyed having someone around the house, but our days were spent managing the farm, talking about sports, and doing chores. I didn't think Gramps would want the trouble of knowing that I was special, so I never shared it with him. Reading his thoughts, I realized that he was worried about being able to take care of me, so I didn't want to burden him with it. I remembered what my mother had said and kept it to myself anyway. By the time I was a teenager, I realized that I could use my gift to figure out which girls wanted me, or know when someone was going to do me wrong, and I figured it wouldn't hurt to use it to my advantage, in that way.

By the time I finished high school, I had learned how to function in spite of my abilities. Even though I could function around others, I decided it was easiest to limit my interactions with people, and so I looked for manual labor jobs that I could do on my own, without having to deal with the constant chatter. A solitary life didn't really bother me, although there were times I longed for a normal life, with a wife, two kids, and the picket fence. I had tried dating, but hearing a girl's thoughts of how they wanted to trap me or screw me or leave me, left me cold. Eventually, I just settled for a quick screw from time to time, and accepted that it was better to be alone, at least for now.

The waitress finally saw me seated at the counter.

_Ooh, he's a hottie. Maybe tonight won't be a total waste. _I plastered on my special smile as she approached me.

"Hi, I'm Amelia. Can I get you something to drink?" I noticed she had a cute little smile as she handed me a menu.

"Let's start with some coffee."

Amelia quickly retrieved a coffee cup and the pot of coffee from the coffee maker. She poured a cup, pushing the creamer and sugar closer to me.

_Wow, I'm getting off at six, wonder if I can keep him here until then._

"I'll be right back to take your order, unless you are ready now."

"I'm ready. How about a couple of eggs, scrambled, with a side of bacon and home fries and some toast?"

"Sure, I'll get that right up for you. Just passing through or staying in town a while?" _God, I hope he's staying._

Amelia was a petite brunette with large brown eyes. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and tied with a red ribbon matching her uniform and the decor of the Owl restaurant. Her uniform hugged her small frame and she was really quite attractive. I thought I would stick around for a bit and ask her some questions about the Silver Dollar Bar. Maybe she could tell me something about Sookie Stackhouse.

"Not sure yet. Do you live around here?" When I said that, her brain flashed an image of us walking down Front Street together.

"Yeah, I live here in town, lived here all my life."

"Well, if I stay, maybe you can show me around?"

At that point, the thoughts in her head were moving so fast I couldn't catch them. Her voice, however, was calm and casual.

"Sure thing. Let me go put your order in and then we can talk some more. It's not busy tonight, so I can sit with you for a while, if you would like."

I smiled at her and wondered why a girl like her would stay in a town like this. Surely, she could find a better life somewhere else? I shrugged and started thinking about Sookie and the Silver Dollar Bar. As cute as my waitress was, I really wanted to know more about the mysterious blonde. When my meal arrived, Amelia was kind enough to let me eat in peace, refilling my coffee without me having to ask. Every so often, I caught a brief glimpse of her thinking about us together, and I had to admit my ego enjoyed the attention. The food was good and I browsed the local newspaper as I ate. It was around five o'clock by the time I was done, and the restaurant was starting to fill up. Amelia came and took my empty plate, and brought my check.

"Sorry, but I can't take a break with you now, it's too busy. I get off at six..." She said, holding her breath.

"Well, I was going to watch football in the bar. Want to meet me there?"

A smile lit up her face. "Sure! That would be great! I'll see you there." She practically bounced over to the customer sitting a few seats from me.

I pulled a twenty from my wallet, which more than covered my check, and with a final smile to Amelia, made my way across to the casino bar. There was a nice quiet table in the corner. I stopped at the bar for a beer and sat down. Aside from thoughts like _stupid ass official_ or _fuckin' coach_ or _they got robbed_, the mind chatter was very manageable here. I sat quietly watching the game until I saw Amelia come over from the restaurant around six-thirty. She had changed from her waitress uniform to jeans and a fuzzy pink sweater, and her makeup looked fresh. She smiled as she took a seat at my table.

"Hi. I didn't catch your name earlier."

"I'm Eric."

"Well, pleased to meet you, Eric."

She obviously spent time at the bar before, because the bartender automatically brought her a beer. _Ha! Amelia's got a new one on the hook,_ he thought as he gave her the once-over before returning to the customers seated at the bar.

The casino seemed to come to life around this time too, and I could hear the slot machines spinning and ringing as a few folks threw their money into them. Amelia sat down with me and after some chitchat about her work, she started asking about me.

"Eric, how did you end up in Battle Mountain?"

"I was on my way to Wyoming for some work out there and stopped here yesterday when I got tired of driving. I was going to leave this morning, but someone thought there might be work around here."

"Really? Most folks usually spend the night and are out of here first thing. There's not too much by way of jobs around here, so I'm glad to hear you might be staying. Where's the job?"

"Well, I really don't know yet. The owner of the Silver Dollar Bar told me there might be something for me. Do you know her?"

Amelia took a quick drink of her beer and gave me a strange look when she placed the glass back down on the table.

"You went to the Silver Dollar last night?"

"Yes. Is something wrong?"

She shook her head a little and looked away before she continued. "That place is kind of creepy, isn't it? No one from town really goes there."

"Well, it was a little strange, but the people who worked there seemed okay."

"There are rumors about that place, you know."

"Really? What sort of rumors?"

"Like people disappearing. No one has seen the employees during the day. Most of the town's people stay away from that place. I've even heard someone say they are all..." She leaned toward me and whispered, "Vampires!"

I sat up. "Shut the fuck up! You mean like Dracula?" The image of Sookie's bloody mouth popped into my head.

"Yeah. Sounds silly doesn't it? I think the people that work and go there are just weird. I've lived here all my life and the whole town is strange in one way or another. None of my friends hang out there, so it really doesn't matter to me."

" Well, the place was strange, but it seemed okay to me. That vampire stuff is kind of crazy though. You know anything about the owner?"

"Not really. I hear it is a woman, though. We don't have too many female business owners around here, so people talk." She snorted. "Threatens the men to know that a woman is running a business and they don't like it."

I didn't want to get into that issue, so I changed the subject. "What do you and your friends do for fun?"

Amelia started talking about how they liked to go mountain biking when the weather was good, and go exploring in the canyons and old mines that were found on the outskirts of town. It was clear we shared the love of outdoor activities, so we talked for quite some time about biking and hiking. Eventually, though, we ran out of small talk and there was a little bit of tension at the table as Amelia started to think about how she was going to get me to spend more time with her.

Through our entire conversation, I couldn't stop thinking about Sookie. I debated on whether I should go to the Silver Dollar Bar tonight and see her. Some of what Amelia told me disturbed me, while at the same time the fact that the town seemed to be full of freaks made me feel right at home. I often felt like a weirdo with my special gift. I was thankful that Amelia couldn't read my mind and know I was thinking about someone else while we talked, but I couldn't stop thinking about how good it felt kissing Sookie last night, or the dream I had about her earlier. I couldn't really make up my mind with Amelia sitting next to me wondering if I was going to put a move on her, so I figured it was time to see Amelia to her car. We sat in silence for a while, and I was hoping she would get the hint that it was time to go, but that was not going to happen, so I got the ball rolling in that direction.

"Amelia, you must be tired after working all day. Can I walk you to your car? I've got some things to do before I decide whether I'm going to stay on here or not."

She was smart enough to know that I was giving her the brush off, and thankfully didn't make a big scene about it. She started to put on her coat when I got up, dropping some money on the table as a tip for the bartender. She was quiet as we walked to the door, and spoke once we were outside.

"So Eric, if you stay, can I see you again?"

I made a joke and said with a smile, "Well, I'm not sure I would be able to avoid you in a town this size."

Her car was parked in the lot behind the casino. One of the two streetlights was out and I was glad she didn't have to walk back there by herself. The cold wind was blowing again and it reminded me of last night's walk to the Silver Dollar. She dug her keys out of her purse as we walked and once we reached her car, I took her keys, opening the door for her. She stood there, thinking she wanted me to kiss her. When I only gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, I knew she was disappointed.

"Good night Amelia. Are you sure you are okay to drive?"

"I'm fine. I only had a few beers and I don't have to go far." She looked around and laughed. "And you don't see a whole lot of traffic now do you?"

"Thanks for keeping me company tonight. Maybe I'll see you around, if I decide to stay in town."

She smiled at that. "Good night Eric. It was nice to meet you. Come back to the restaurant if you decide to stay, I usually work the day shift."

"Okay. Good night."

She got in her car. I waited for her to drive away, and then turned back toward the casino. I was almost at the corner of the building when someone stepping out of the shadows startled me.

"Hi, Eric."

It was Sookie.

Her pale skin was luminescent under the low light of the streetlamps. She was so stunning, I needed a minute to compose myself.

"Hi."

"I thought maybe you might have left town." She moved closer to me as she spoke.

"Hey, what happened last night? How did I get back to the motel?"

"You passed out on my couch and Clancy drove you home." She paused. "And I tucked you in." She was standing right next to me now. I could smell her scent in the cold air and the dry clean smell that I remembered from last night. She was so close to me, all I wanted to do was kiss her.

I moved just a little closer to her, and whispered, "Thank you."

Just then, a couple of men walked around the corner. They looked us over, and I heard them wondering if we were dangerous. After a pause, they decided not and kept walking, but that special moment with Sookie was gone. The interruption made me notice I didn't hear anything from Sookie's mind and that suddenly made me uneasy, reminding me of what Amelia had said.

"What's wrong, Eric? You seem nervous all of a sudden."

"Nothing is wrong. I'm just tired I guess," I lied.

"I think I've found a job for you in Battle Mountain, if you were still interested. Why don't I walk you back to your motel room, and we can talk about it? Or we could go to my bar and hang out there — it's a slow night."

In spite of the rumors Amelia shared with me, I wanted to get to know Sookie better. She was beautiful, smart, and interesting. So what if she was a freak like me? I think that was a big part of my attraction to her. She could have killed me last night and she didn't. Maybe I should at least hear her out about the job—why drive to Wyoming if I could work right here?

"Okay, I'll walk you back to your bar, so you don't have to walk back alone."

Sookie laughed. "I can take care of myself, but you can still walk me back to my bar. Let me tell you about the job."

She wrapped her arm around mine and turned me toward the Silver Dollar. As we walked down the street, she explained that she had a friend in the mining business that needed a driver and mechanic.

We were almost to her bar when she asked the question that could keep me in Battle Mountain.

"So Eric, are you interested? I can give Sam a call tonight and see when you can start."

I thought about it for a minute and really wasn't sure about staying or going. There was no real reason to change my plans except to spend more time with her. The thought of getting to know her better made me smile.

"I'd like to think about it, Sookie. Could I let you know tomorrow?" I could see she was disappointed that I didn't say yes right away.

"I guess that would be all right. Give me a call or stop by after the bar opens and I'll call Sam and let him know."

We were standing at the door to the bar, and I held her hand for a moment before I pulled her to me for a kiss. Her lips felt as good as they did last night, and they responded to mine. The sweet and tender kiss turned steamy, and we clutched each other as the passion rose. Soon though, a little warning bell went off in my head, telling me that if I didn't stop, I might end up like last night. I reluctantly pulled away from her, savoring the feel of her lips on mine.

I whispered to her, "I better get back to my motel. I'll give you a call tomorrow, okay?"

She spoke softly, "Are you sure you don't want to come in for a while? We can sit in my office and talk."

" No thanks, I better be getting back to the motel. I'll call you tomorrow."

I gave her another quick kiss on the lips and waited for her to go inside before I started walking back to the motel.

When I got to my room, I threw myself on the bed, rubbing my eyes. I was tired, and now confused about what I wanted to do. I figured some sleep would help, so I undressed and got into bed. It didn't take me long to fall asleep.

I woke around five in the morning. It was still dark outside, but I could tell that the town was waking up from the sounds of the traffic on the road. I looked out the window at the cold and desolate place. I shivered, and in that moment, I made my decision. I relieved myself and washed up in the bathroom. Packing my bag while I checked around the room for any clothing I might have missed, I figured it would be another day to get to Wyoming for the job I was going to take. The office was closed at this time of morning but they had already charged me for the room, so I left the key on the desk in the room. I gathered up my belongings and threw them in my truck.

I was on the interstate in no time. It was a beautiful morning and since I was traveling east, I anticipated a brilliant sunrise within the hour. About thirty-five miles from Battle Mountain, I saw something making a meal out of some recent road kill. In the gray light of first morning, I couldn't tell exactly what it was, but as I closed the distance between us, I could see it was a golden eagle. The bird wasn't spooked when I approached, so I slowed to get a better look. Three feet tall with feathers of brown and gold, it was magnificent, radiating pure power. When it took flight, its seven-foot wingspan was incredible. The raw, natural beauty amazed me. The eagle flew west, back toward Battle Mountain. It made me think that in spite of the desolation of the Nevada desert, there was also great beauty. It reminded me of another beauty I had found here, Sookie Stackhouse.

I had to stop at the next exit for gas, since I didn't fill up before leaving Battle Mountain. It was just breaking dawn, and it was biting cold. I went inside to pay for the gas and grab a coffee. The clerk behind the counter rang up my purchases at a snail's pace, some heavy metal song playing in his head. He took my cash without saying a word, his indifference making it seem even colder.

I walked back out to my truck, got in, and turned the key. I suddenly had a tremendous urge to turn around and return to Battle Mountain. The feeling came out of nowhere, but once it took hold of me, it had me good. I took a heavy breath as I remembered Sookie — how we talked and kissed, how she felt in my arms. The funny feeling in my gut was there because I was missing her, wanting her. In spite of any questions about her, my instinct was that I shouldn't, or maybe I couldn't, walk away. I wanted her and there was no denying it.

I pulled out of the gas station, listening to my heart. In the cold before dawn, like the eagle, I headed west back toward Battle Mountain.

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A/N: I've added some links in my profile to a map of locations in this story, if you are inclined to check it out.

Thanks for reading – hope you liked it – press the green button and let me know!


	4. Chapter 4

Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters, and I'm just having a little fun with them.

With much love and gratitude to my awesome beta and writing collaborator, Kristin Elizabeth

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Sookie

_I closed my eyes, remembering the feel of his hands in my hair, his palms cradling my head as he pulled me close. He stopped just short of a kiss, waiting. I could feel his warm breath on my cool lips. "Sookie, look at me," he whispered, and when I opened my eyes, his blue eyes met mine. The look of raw desire I saw in them enthralled me before he broke the spell when he closed the distance between us, in a kiss that left no doubt about his dominance. His lips, hands, and body controlled mine, and I submitted to him, responding to his every touch, letting go of anything holding me back. His power over my body liberated me, setting me free to feel, almost as if I were human again. He covered me with his strong, hard core, enveloping me in his arms to keep the feelings from drifting away. I lost myself in him._

My first thought upon rising was of Eric, kissing and drinking from him in my office last night. It had been so long since any human evoked such a response in me. While I waited for the last vestiges of daylight to dissipate, I let myself slide into downtime so I could think of those moments in my office in detail. Vampires do not dream like humans, but our "downtime" serves the same purpose, allowing us to uproot our hidden desires and fears that we let no one see. I remembered everything about last night, and my downtime thoughts confirmed what I already knew—I wanted and needed to see him again, and soon.

I silently reprimanded myself for getting carried away drinking from him last night, and knew I must be careful not to do it again. Not only did it take away my chance to glamour him, I could have killed him. I would have turned him if I had drained him. He was just too perfect a physical specimen to let go, and there was something more to him than just physical beauty. Tonight I made it my mission to uncover that special something that I intuitively sensed about him.

By the time it was dark enough to go to the bar, I had formulated my plan to keep Eric in town. I figured I could glamour him first, although I felt a little twinge of worry at that thought. He had resisted my glamour last night, and I knew that some humans could do that, so I wondered if I would be able to glamour him at all. If I could not, then would he be able to handle knowing I am vampire? Because without glamour, there would be no chance I could hide my true nature from him, at least, not for long. For some reason I was not overly worried about that, and I did not know why, but I had a sense that Eric was a man that could accept our differences without fear or prejudice.

By the time I got to the bar, Bill, Clancy, and Pam were there, chatting at a booth. At this time of year, it was dark by six o'clock and on a Sunday night, we would not have many human customers. Most of the townies would be at the Owl watching football in the bar there, and our regulars would not show up until later. I would catch up on area matters tonight, and putting my plan in motion to keep Eric Northman in town would be the first order of business.

Bill jumped up to get me a glass of v-juice when he saw me coming through the door, and Clancy and Pam stood in respectful greeting. I nodded for them to sit, and when Bill returned to the booth with my drink, we got started with our nightly meeting.

"Clancy, Is there any word about our friend at the Big Chief? Do you know if he checked out today?" No sense in beating around the bush, if Eric had left town already, there was no need for my plan.

"I haven't heard anything, Mistress. I'll call right now." While Clancy pulled out his cell phone and dialed, Pam raised her eyebrow at me.

"What, Pam? Something on your mind?"

"No, Mistress. I haven't seen you so interested in a human before, that's all. I'm intrigued." Her eyes sparkled as she teased me.

"Well, I am glad I can provide you with entertainment, Pam. But I suggest you get used to the idea…quickly."

Pam dropped the attitude and she exchanged a glance with Bill. They both watched over me, and I let them, never reminding them I could very well look after myself, since I was older and stronger. Someday, their protective behaviors might just save me, so I did not stop them. No doubt, they would keep an eye on whatever was going to happen with Eric and me.

Clancy clicked his phone closed, giving me a big smile, and I took that to mean he had good news.

"Eric is still registered at the motel and…," he paused and looked around the table, "I hear he is having dinner at the Owl tonight."

"Pam, go over to the Owl and keep an eye on him. If he leaves, give me a call. Bill, I need Sam Merlotte here ASAP. Clancy, you are in charge of the bar, I don't think it will be busy tonight."

The look of surprise on their faces as they realized I was serious about Eric Northman was priceless. They were as excited as I was about having something to do in this cold little town. They left to do as asked, and I considered the next step in my plan to make Eric Northman mine.

Sam Merlotte ran a local mining operation, and if anyone could manufacture a job around these parts, it was Sam. We had an "I'll scratch your back, if you will scratch mine" arrangement, and it was my turn for a scratch.

I met Sam about ten years ago. Like most of the people living here, he just happened to stop by for a night, and ended up staying. He learned the mining industry from the ground up, and ten years later, he was his own boss. Sam was an attractive man with brown hair and eyes, and I might have been interested in him, except for the fact he was a shape shifter, and I was not fond of shifter blood. Instead, we developed a solid working relationship, and I knew he would not turn me down tonight.

About thirty minutes later, Bill returned to the bar with Sam in tow, and brought him over to my table.

"Did you need anything else, Sookie?" Bill asked after Sam had a taken his seat.

"Bring Sam a beer, and then you can relieve Clancy at the bar." Bill nodded and left, "Sam, it's nice to see you tonight."

"Sookie, what is so important that you had Compton come and get me. All you had to do was call, really." Sam's concern lined his face.

"I might be under a time crunch here, Sam, so I wanted to be sure to speak to you in person." I stopped talking when Bill brought Sam's beer to the table, set it down in front of him and left before I continued.

"I have met someone. I want him to stay in town for a while and I would like you to give him a job."

"Are we talking a human or a vamp, Sookie?"

"A human. He can handle manual labor and does not mind working alone. He probably has some mechanical skills from the look of him."

Sam poured his beer in his glass and I could see him considering my motives. I waited for him to ask me.

"So what's so special about this guy, Sookie? Why do you want to keep him in town? I am not getting involved in anything illegal, am I?"

"No, Sam. This is a more … personal matter. Someone I'd like to get to know better, and if he had a job here, he would stay for a while, so I could get to know him."

Sam took a drink and smiled at me.

"Why, Sookie Stackhouse, are you telling me you're interested in this guy for more than just a meal? Well, I'll be damned. I never thought I'd see this day."

I snorted. "You sound like Pam, now. Yes, I am interested in him for more than a meal. How much more, I cannot say yet – that is what I would like to figure out."

Sam continued drinking his beer with a smirk on his face. Was it really so unusual for me to be interested in a human? It was a good thing that Sam and I were friends and I did not take his teasing for insolence. I raised my eyebrow, waiting for his answer.

"Sure, Sookie, I can find something for him. I owed you one, didn't I? Have him come by the mining office Tuesday at eight"

"Thanks, Sam. And as for owing me, yes, this makes us square right now, but I was wondering if you might do something else for me?"

"And what might that be Sookie?" Sam was intrigued, knowing I would now owe him.

"I thought that maybe you could look after my friend during the day, maybe even track him if he leaves town before Tuesday? I have that little problem with daylight, as you know."

"You really like this guy, don't you?" Sam became serious and continued. "Sure, Sookie, I will keep an eye on him for you. I've been shifting into an eagle lately and I could use some flight time." Sam paused and gave me a genuine smile. I got the impression he was a little envious that I had someone to pursue. We really were as close to friends as a vampire and shifter can get. After a moment, he continued. "It's been a long time since I've seen you go to this much trouble for a human. He must be worth it to you." He glanced around the bar. "Is he here? How will I know him?"

I gestured to him to wait a second, opened my cell phone, and called Pam.

"Pam is Eric still at the Owl? "

"Yes, Sookie. He is at the bar watching the football game with the girl that works in the restaurant. They are having a beer and getting cozy." I could hear the teasing in Pam's voice, wondering what I was going to do about that situation.

"Sam Merlotte is going to come by in a few minutes. You need to point out Eric for him. Do not let Eric see you or Sam. I'll take care of the rest in a little while."

"Yes, Mistress."

I closed my cell.

"Pam is at the Owl right now. She will take care of identifying Eric for you."

"Okay, Sookie. I'll help you out. You'll owe me, then." He took a large swallow of his beer, trying to finish it.

"I know, Sam. Just let me know when." Sam was never one to ask for unreasonable favors, and it was worth having his help with my Eric project. He finished his beer, slid out of the booth, and started pulling on his jacket.

"I'll be in touch, Sookie. Have Eric come by on Tuesday at eight. Good luck with your new friend." He placed a light kiss on my cheek before leaving for the Owl.

Once Sam left, I noticed the bar was still very quiet, and I went back to my office to work on some area business. I did not get very far when I allowed myself to slip into downtime.

_I licked his long neck in one smooth stroke, from his clavicle to just behind his ear, feeling the pulse of his blood under my tongue. My fangs snapped down and I repeated the stroke from ear to clavicle, this time with the tip of my fangs grazing his skin. He moaned in pleasure with each scrape, pulling his body against mine. While my mouth was busy on his neck, my hand caressed his thigh, moving up to stroke his impressive manhood. I wanted to be naked, impaled on it, grinding my body against his. The thought of our mutual release consumed me. I could not hold myself back from biting him any longer. I showed him my fangs and he touched the tips with his finger, before nodding yes. I licked his neck again, slower, finding the spot to give him the most pleasure. When I found it, my tongue caressed the spot, and I bit, his blood filling my mouth. The taste was exquisite and I lapped at every drop. It was almost like fairy blood, not as intoxicating but just as sweet. With each draw of his blood, I stroked him, and he was putty in my hands. He was mine._

The ring of my cell phone shook me out of downtime. It was Pam.

"He's leaving with the girl. They are going around back to the parking lot."

"I'll be right there."

It did not take long to get to the Owl and Pam showed me to them. I sent Pam back to the bar and found a good spot to watch Eric and his new friend. I smiled when he gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, although I did feel a twinge of jealousy, as if he was already mine. The girl drove away and I waited for Eric to walk toward me before I stepped out of the shadows.

He seemed startled to see me, and I could hear nervousness in his voice when he greeted me. I smiled when he thanked me for tucking him in, and we were just about to kiss when a couple of rough looking humans interrupted us. Eric looked nervous again, but not about the men, and I became worried he was getting ready to run. I told him of the job, in the hopes it would be reason enough for him to stay.

"I think I've found a job for you in Battle Mountain, if you were still interested. Why don't I walk you back to your motel room, and we can talk about it? Or we could go to my bar and hang out there—it's a slow night."

He agreed to walk me back to the bar, and we talked about the job on the way. Being with him made me feel…content, maybe even happy, and I wanted more. I thought he wanted more too, until he did not jump on the job offer. He wanted to think it over. I did not want to look too eager but, I think he saw my disappointment. Then he took my hand, and pulled me to him for a kiss, we were both lost again, the passion ignited between us. He broke the kiss first, whispering to me, but I wanted him to stay. I asked him to come into the bar. His second refusal made me question what I was doing, and I contemplated draining him before I realized it was all part of the game. I needed to stay the course, go the distance. I would wait, and he would come to me tomorrow night. I was sure of it.

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So, what will Eric do when he finds out Sookie is a vampire? Will he stay or go? Stay tuned and I'd love to hear what you think of the story, so please, press the green button and let me know.

I am very honored to say my fic, _Every Time a Bell Rings_ is a finalist in The Naughty or Nice contest. http:// www . fanfiction .net / s /5659119 / 1/

Please go here [remove spaces]: http://www . fanfiction . net/~naughtyornicelist

and read all the wonderful stories, then vote for your favorite.** The poll will close on February 5th. **Thanks to the awesome Indigobuni and Ehee for running this contest, and to all the judges for putting in their time to read and critique all the stories.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth.

Charlaine Harris owns the characters. I'm just borrowing them.

Recap: Eric, a telepathic loner, makes a pit stop in Battle Mountain, Nevada on his way to a new job in Wyoming. There he meets Sookie Stackhouse, the owner of the Silver Dollar Bar. He doesn't know she is the vampire sheriff of the area and vampires have not been revealed to the general population. After a night of conversation and getting to first base, she drinks from him while they are making out, and he passes out. The next morning he wakes up in his hotel room, contemplating staying in Battle Mountain. He decides to get some food, and goes to the Owl Club, a bar and casino, where he meets a local girl, Amelia. As he is leaving the Owl Club, Sookie meets him down and they walk back to the Silver Dollar Bar. Earlier, Sookie has talked to her shape-shifter friend, Sam, about giving Eric a job, and she tells Eric about the opportunity. The next morning, Eric leaves for Wyoming, but he doesn't get very far when he decides to turn around and return to Battle Mountain, the job and Sookie.

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**Chapter 5**

Eric POV

Now that I had admitted to myself that I wasn't ready to leave Battle Mountain, Sookie had taken up residence in my head, and she was all I could think about during my drive back to that dusty, cold town. It had been so long since I let myself believe I could be with anyone. I knew it might not work out with Sookie, but I was willing to take the chance. Wasn't every new relationship a gamble? Since she had gone to the trouble of finding me a job in Battle Mountain, I figured she wanted me to stick around and, in spite of Amelia's talk of vampires, and the memory of Sookie's bloody mouth, I decided to give a relationship with Sookie a chance. Unless I had misread her signs, she was interested in me, too.

The truth was that I was tired of playing it safe, living on the fringes of humanity, just because of my telepathy. I was looking for more than just a one-night stand. For a while, I had convinced myself I didn't mind being alone, until I realized I wasn't alone—I was lonely. When I met Sookie and we spent the night talking at the bar, I realized what was missing in my life, and it could be summed up in a word—companionship. I wanted someone to talk to, to share my day with, to take an interest in me, and vice versa. Those few hours I had spent with her changed me, and I didn't go back to my old life. Even though I couldn't explain why I didn't hear Sookie's thoughts when we were together, I didn't care. It was curiosity more than compulsion to know what was different about her, and I would figure it out in good time. I liked the fact I didn't hear her thoughts in my head. Hell, maybe I didn't even have to tell her about my little "gift".

Her quiet mind wasn't all I liked about her, either. Yes, she was beautiful, with her blonde hair, blue eyes and curvaceous body, but her self-assurance attracted me most of all. It radiated from her like an unseen force, pulling me to her like a magnet. The commanding way she dealt with the two men at the bar the night we met had excited me. Watching her take control of that situation made me want her in the worst way. Her confidence didn't make her any less desirable and, when we were kissing in her office, I felt a connection to her. Yeah, I had it bad for Sookie Stackhouse, no doubt about it.

It was lunchtime when I arrived back in Battle Mountain, and I debated going to the Owl to see Amelia. It couldn't hurt to make some friends in town if I was going to be staying here. I really didn't want to give Amelia the wrong impression though, and have her think I wanted more than friendship from her. I liked Amelia, but I didn't come back here for her. I cruised around town in my truck, creeping past the Silver Dollar Bar, which was closed, as I expected it would be. There were no cars in the parking lot, and no deliveries in progress. I decided to try out The Coffee Bar, which was close to the Silver Dollar, and it wasn't as bad as the Big Chief manager made it out to be. After a cup of coffee and a sandwich, I drove around, looking for a place to stay. There were rows and rows of modular homes with For Rent or For Sale signs on them, so I knew I wouldn't have trouble finding longer-term accommodations. Once I was sure I could handle the job, I would find a more permanent place to stay. Until then, I decided to take the chance of running into Amelia and get a room at the Owl. It was the closest hotel to the Silver Dollar Bar, and I could walk there.

I checked into a room and after unpacking a few things, I stretched out on the bed. The hotel had few guests at this time of day, so my mind remained quiet. The cool, dark room was just right for a nap, and I had a few hours before I could see Sookie. I undressed and crawled into the bed, letting my body relax and my eyes close. My mind replayed that night in her office, remembering her lips on my lips, throat, and neck, and then the sting of her fangs piercing my skin. My hips jerked and I stroked myself, continuing my fantasy. I removed her clothes, until her perfect body was exposed to me, and with thoughts of a naked Sookie in my arms, it didn't take long for me to fall into a dreamless sleep.

Sookie POV

The moment my eyes opened, I grabbed my cell phone and looked for the flashing light telling me I had voice mail. Most nights the messages were of the mundane variety, from vendors clarifying purchases and orders for the bar, or from other human contacts involved in the bar business. But tonight I was hoping there would be a message from Sam Merlotte. I scrolled quickly through the call log, checking for his number and when I saw it there, I quickly dialed into my voice mail. I was amazed to notice a little flutter of excitement in my belly as I waited for the call to go through.

It took a few minutes to skip past the business voice mail messages before I got to Sam's call. I was pushing buttons on the phone so fast that I almost deleted the message before I could listen to it. In the early evening hours before I rose from my bed, I had the confirmation I was looking for.

'_Sookie, it's Sam. Eric checked out of the Big Chief and is now staying at the Owl. He left town early this morning and returned around lunch time. I haven't seen him since, but his truck is still parked in back at the Owl. Call me when you rise if you need anything else.' _

Eric was still in Battle Mountain.

As soon as my body cooperated, I jumped out of bed and showered. I spent a long time staring at the clothes in my closet, trying to find just the right outfit for tonight. I couldn't remember the last time I was so excited to go to the bar. I finally settled on a pair of black boot cut jeans, a red silk top, with a red belt. A pair of black cowboy boots completed the outfit. I took extra time getting my hair just right, smooth and shiny, and when I was done, I was very happy, almost giddy, with what I saw in the mirror. I checked myself over one last time, and left for the bar.

I went to my office straightaway to check what Area business might be on tap for the evening. Even though I was distracted with wondering what time Eric might show up, I still had to report to the king on Area business. No reason to get de Castro suspicious about what might be distracting me from my job as Sheriff. I didn't need to bring his attention to all of us here in Battle Mountain. Being a good Sheriff meant protecting your own people, even if you were protecting them from your own King.

All of the Area business tonight was setting up appointments and paperwork, so I made a few lists of instructions for Pam and Bill to take care of. It didn't look good for the Sheriff to be making her own appointments, even though I didn't mind. Appearances must be kept, even in a 30-vamp area like Battle Mountain. Once everything was in order, I went out to the bar to check on things there. I figured Eric wasn't there yet, since Pam had been in my office busting my ass about it.

It was a Monday night, so there wasn't much happening at the bar. Sunday and Monday were our slowest night, and most times, Pam, Clancy, Bill and I, would end up sitting at the bar, talking over glasses of v-juice once all the ordering for the rest of the week was taken care of. Tonight was no different, although it was football season, so we had a few of the local vamps in to watch to game. Most of the roadies were at the Owl on a night like tonight though. There just wasn't the volume of people in town that we had on the weekend.

Pam was talking with Bill at the bar, and she smiled at me as I came over to them.

"Sookie, don't you look lovely this evening." I gave her a look to tell her to leave it at that, as I saw a grin crease her face. She was more than ready to tease me about Eric, I knew.

"Hi Pam. I'm assuming everything is in order tonight?" My tone said that I was only interested in talking business, but I winked at her. We always had a little fun with each other, Pam and I.

"Yes, Sookie. Looks like it is going to be a slow night, too." We both looked around the bar and shrugged.

Bill was busy pouring two glasses of v-juice for Pam and me. I thought I should probably curb my hunger, just in case Eric did show up tonight. I didn't want a repeat performance of Saturday night, when I almost drained him while we were making out. Pam and I continued to chat about nothing important, until she brought up the king.

"Sookie, we haven't had a visit from de Castro for a while. Do you think he is going to be showing up here any time soon?"

"Well, we are probably due for a visit. Have you noticed any unfamiliar vamps in the bar? He usually sends someone in advance to scope things out. Keep a lookout for that—okay?"

"I haven't seen new vamps around, Sookie." Bill chimed in, as he mopped the bar down.

I looked around the bar. "Where's Clancy?"

"I think he is out doing some recon to look for your new boy-toy, since it is a slow night." Pam teased. Clancy had contacts at tall the local hotels, and he knew everything that went on in town.

It was now around two hours after dark, and I admit, I was wondering where Eric was. I thought for sure he would be at the bar at first dark. Had I misinterpreted Sam's message? I checked through my phone messages, and listened again. With a frown, I called Clancy's cell. It rang twice before he picked it up.

"Hi, Sookie. What's up?"

"I hear you are out and about. Any word on my friend?"

"Well, his truck is still parked behind the Owl, but I don't see him in the bar or casino, and the restaurant is empty. He hasn't been seen around town, either. Should I come back to the bar?"

"Yes, Clancy, come on back. Thanks."

Bill and Pam were standing there looking at me, odd expressions on their faces, as if they were surprised I told Clancy to come back to the bar. However, if I really was going to have a relationship of some kind with Eric, he would have to come to me himself, and I needed to stop involving my employees in stalking him. It just felt … wrong. At that thought, I shook my head and wondered what had gotten into me. Had I really fallen for this human after one night?

Instead of pondering that question, it was in my best interest to protect my area vampires by preparing for an imminent visit from the King of Nevada, instead of a worrying about a human male.

"Pam, you had better make sure all the books are in order. If we get a visit from the king, the books will be the first thing he wants to see. Make sure our supplies of v-juice are fresh, and maybe even line up a donor or two, just in case. Maybe start putting the Area vamps on alert, too."

I knew from my 100 years as Sheriff here, de Castro would be looking to find something. The books would be fine—Pam did a good job with them. I looked around the bar with a critical eye. It could probably use a good scrubbing and a coat of paint, maybe some new furnishings. I was mentally making a list of all the little things we could to do spruce up the place, when the door opened.

Eric stepped into the bar.

His eyes searched the interior until they met mine, and all thoughts of the king, renovations, and bar business, flew right out of my head. When he smiled at me and started to walk over, I had a funny feeling inside. Was I actually nervous?

Eric was dressed in his denim—jeans and jacket, with a dark green button down shirt. Not many people look good in green, but he certainly didn't have that problem. The green accentuated his outdoorsy look, and somehow made his eyes seem a deeper blue. I realized I must have been grinning like an idiot, because when I glanced at Pam, she was looking at me with a very surprised expression. In a few quick steps, Eric was right there in front of me me. He was smiling too.

"Hi, Sookie." He purred, and then he kissed my cheek, his lips lingering long enough for me to feel them on my skin. He ran his fingertips down my arm in a caress, and slid his hand into mine. He looked me in the eye and smiled, and I had to remind myself to think…and speak.

"Hi Eric." The greeting came out softly and for some reason, my mind was blank, struggling to make the transition from thinking about bar renovations, to having Eric right next to me. He looked even better than he had Saturday night. We stood there looking at each other, my hand wrapped around his, and it all felt so very…right.

As my brain fog cleared, I noticed that Bill and Pam had scattered, and I was very glad I wouldn't have to put up with their teasing, at least right away. Bill had even left a beer on the bar for Eric, so I grabbed it and pulled him by the hand toward my table.

"Let's sit down."

We sat there at my table, still holding hands, grinning at each other like two fools. After a few minutes, Eric took a drink of his beer, and tried to start a conversation.

"So tell me about the job, Sookie"

Eric's question broke the silence and suddenly everything seemed normal again. I had to pull myself together; after all, Eric was only a human, and this was only our third meeting. I didn't know what it was about him that made me turn into some silly star struck girl, but I couldn't deny it felt…good. It was exciting to be with him, because he made me feel different than I had in the past 100 years, and he even made me feel a little unsure of myself. It turned me on in ways I hadn't even considered.

"My friend Sam has a mining operation. He said he could use some help, but I didn't get into the details with him. He wants you to come by tomorrow at eight in the morning if you are interested. Since you are here tonight, I'm assuming you are." Somehow, I had managed to regain my composure, and I felt like Sheriff Sookie again.

He took another drink of his beer and smiled broadly. "Well, how about we take a drive and you can show me where I need to go tomorrow." He still held my hand, and was making little circles across the top of it with his thumb.

"Sure. Let's get out of here. I've got to grab my coat from the office."

We got up from the table, and I had to let go of his hand. He didn't let go—he held onto my fingers as I pulled away and kept his eyes locked on mine. I was getting that "good" nervous feeling again. He waited at the table while I got my coat. Eric helped me put it on when I got back to the table, and we left the bar to walk back to his truck, which was parked behind the Owl. It was another cold night, with a clear sky, and all the stars were out. We didn't talk as we walked—and it seemed natural, not awkward.

It was pitch black, as we drove south on State Highway 306 toward the mining area.

"Not much out this way, is there?"

I laughed. "No, not much. I hope you can find your way out in the daylight tomorrow."

"Well, considering there is only one road, as long as I stay on it, I don't think I'll have any trouble." He chuckled.

About five miles out of town, we turned left down a dirt road that was barely visible at night. Another mile, and the Merlotte's Mining sign was visible on the side of the trailer out in the middle of nowhere. As we drove up, the headlights cast their light on the building and we saw a large bird perched there. It flew away when Eric stopped the truck. He turned the headlights off and kept the car running, turning up the heat a little.

"Wow, that was an eagle, wasn't it? I saw one early this morning, too." He looked out his window, as if he was trying to see where the bird went.

"Yes, we do have some beautiful eagles around here." I replied, thinking that it was probably Sam, checking up on us.

We became quiet again. Neither one of us wanted to talk about birds.

Eric reached over and took my hand, pulling me toward him. At first, I thought he was going to kiss me, but he put his lips at my ear, and whispered my name.

I shivered, and he stayed right where he was, and whispered to me again.

"Are you cold? I can turn up the heat."

He smelled so good—a clean, crisp, spicy scent—and I wanted him to kiss me now. All it took was a slight move of my head and his lips were on mine. His lips were firm, yet soft, and he kissed better than I remembered. I moved closer to him so our bodies could touch and he kept his mouth on mine, using his tongue to tease my mouth open, so he could plunge inside. Before I knew it, his big, strong hands were tangled in my hair and my own hand caressed his long neck. I could feel his pulse under my fingers and I pulled back for a second, so I could keep my fangs under control. I wasn't ready to get into that conversation tonight, that was for sure.

We kissed with open mouths, our tongues exploring until he was breathless, and then he rested his forehead against mine, while he caught his breath. I stroked his jaw line and felt him shudder as I dragged my fingers gently down his neck to his clavicle. My fingers moved lower to the first button of his shirt, and I wanted to unbutton it and run my hand down his chest, but he grabbed my hand.

"Not here—you're too special to take this any farther out here in a truck."

"Eric..." There wasn't much more to say, I just kissed him, and we started another round of tongue exploration.

His mouth left mine, and placed little kisses across my cheek to just below my ear. He whispered to me again.

"I'm going to stay in Battle Mountain a while and I want to take this slow. I want whatever is between us to be more than just making out."

This time I pulled back and looked at him. I sensed he was surprised when I said, "I do, too."

We were just about to start our third kissing session, when my cell phone broke the silence. It was Pam. With a frown , I answered the call.

"What's up, Pam? This better be important."

"You need to come back to the bar, Sookie. de Castro is here now, and he is looking for you."

_Shit._ "Okay, keep him busy and out of my office, if possible. I'll be there in 20 minutes."

I closed my phone. This was not good. Eric looked at me, his face a question.

"Eric, I have to go back to the bar. I have some…visitors, that I need to attend to." I had already turned back into my Sheriff Sookie persona, and Eric was surprised by my quick change in demeanor. I looked at his face, and softened a little.

"I'm really sorry, Eric. I liked where we were going, if you know what I mean. Can I have a rain check?"

"Let's get you back."

With that, he turned his truck around and headed back toward town.

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Thanks for hanging in with me on this story! I'd be honored with your comments, so if you feel inclined, press the button! *hugs*


	6. Chapter 6

Charlaine Harris owns the characters—I'm just playing with them.

Thanks to my lovely beta, collaborative writing partner and L'sister, Kristin Elizabeth. She rocks my world!

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Chapter 6

Sookie POV

We didn't talk on the drive back to town. There was no way I wanted to start an explanation I couldn't finish, and I was grateful the darkness kept Eric from reading the concern on my face. It was best Eric had no knowledge of my visitors. I knew enough about him by now to know he would want to help, and that would only bring trouble for both of us.

Felipe de Castro didn't usually pull surprise visits, unless there was a specific reason to catch one of his minions off-guard. I wondered what he hoped to find in my Area with this blind-side. Even though I only met Eric a few days ago, my first instinct was to protect him from the likes of the vampire king of Nevada, just like I tried to protect the vampires in my Area. If the king had any idea I was interested in this human male, he would make it his business to know everything about him, and it would not be pleasant for me or Eric. I would never acknowledge Eric's existence to the king—as far as anyone else was concerned, he was nothing more than a casual blood donor, a traveler stopping in Battle Mountain for a few days. The thought of introducing Eric to our species by way of a meeting with Felipe de Castro made me cringe. No, Eric was mine, and I was going to handle his initiation to the vampire world on my terms, not de Castro's.

Whatever the reason for de Castro's visit, I would deal with it—there was no other choice. The worst thing I could do was let de Castro think he rattled me. When we could see the lights from the city, I reached out and placed my hand on Eric's arm. He turned to look at me, dropping his right hand from the steering wheel to take my hand in his. Every time he held my hand, I felt so small and yet so protected by him—I loved how his hands made me feel. In that moment, I felt like de Castro couldn't do a thing to me—or to us. I enjoyed his touch for just a little longer, before I had to tell him I couldn't see him for a while. I hoped my voice was gentle when I said it.

"Eric, park your truck behind the Owl, okay? I'll walk. Don't come by the bar until you hear from me. The visitors I have require all my attention, and they might be here for a day or two."

He squeezed my hand gently, and I could hear his concern when he spoke. "Sookie, is everything all right? This doesn't sound good."

"Everything is fine, really. I will explain it all, but there isn't time right now." He glanced over at me while he drove, as if to see if I was telling the truth. I didn't want to leave him like this. "Give me your cell phone so I can get your number, and I'll text you when they are gone. I'll put my number in your phone, too. "

Eric let go of my hand, and fished around in his pockets for his phone. I programmed my number into his cell and his number into mine, taking a quick look at his phonebook for signs of other females. There were only a few numbers stored, and it made me happy his phone wasn't filled with numbers. He was quiet, keeping his eyes on the road, and when I finished, we were almost to the Owl parking lot. He pulled into a dark parking spot behind the casino, and the sound of the truck's engine winding down was deafening in the silence between us. We sat there, neither one of willing to get out of the truck first. Eric took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.

"You know, Sookie, I don't like this. Not one bit. I can't just let you walk into some dangerous situation, and believe me, that's the vibe I'm getting from you right now."

I couldn't look at his face, because if I did, I knew he would surely know what I was feeling at that moment. I looked out the window, and I had to admit to myself that I did feel rattled by the king's surprise visit. I didn't want to leave Eric to go entertain the king—after 100 years in this dusty old town, I hoped I was entitled to a little fun and possible happiness. But if Eric was in my future, no matter how short our time together might be, I would have to keep it together, get through this meeting with the king, and send him quickly on his way back to Las Vegas. Having Eric at the bar would definitely not help me achieve that goal. I had to make Eric see that.

"Eric, it's not that the situation is dangerous—but I can't be distracted…and you…distract me." I turned to him and smiled, slipping my hand back into his. The warm skin of his palm cradled my tiny hand, and I wished I didn't have to leave him, but in spite of not wanting to get out of the truck to deal with de Castro, I had to do my job as Sheriff.

I spoke my next words softly. "Please, just let me take care of it. I know what I'm doing. Trust me."

I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth, and pulled away when he wanted to bring me closer.

"I have to go. I'll text you. It will be a couple of days, max. Please, don't come to the bar, and don't call me."

"Sookie…" Before he could say anything else, I climbed out of the truck, and shut the door. I didn't look back as I walked quickly to my bar.

I dialed the bar phone while I walked to the Silver Dollar. At least Bill could give me a sense of what was happening there. Any information I could get would help deal with whatever de Castro was planning on throwing at me. I could hear the jukebox in the background when Bill answered the bar phone.

"Silver Dollar Bar"

"It's Sookie. Where is the king?"

"He is sitting at your table with Pam, going over the bar books. He brought another vamp with him. Are you going to be here soon?"

"I'll be there in a minute. Send Clancy to the back door to let me in."

"Will do."

In the few minutes it took to reach the back door of the bar, I mentally prepared myself for my meeting with the King. It didn't take much to turn myself back to the old Sookie—the one before Eric, the one that had no interest in much of anything. When Clancy opened the door, I pushed past him into my office, taking a quick look around to be sure everything was in place, or put away, as the case might be. I checked my hair and makeup in the mirror on the back side of the store room door, fixing my lipstick where Eric had smeared it. _Shit. Stop thinking about him._ I made my way to the door that separated the offices from the bar, and I could see Pam and de Castro at the table with another dark-haired vampire I didn't know. Well, ready or not, it was time to face the music.

Rule number one in the vampire Sheriff handbook is never show weakness. I walked right over to the king as if it was no big deal I was twenty minutes late, and I bowed as required to show my fealty. I held my position, perfectly still, until he spoke.

"Sheriff, glad you could join us. You may rise." He returned his attention to the bar books laid out in front of him, turning the pages slowly, ignoring me while I stood there. I resisted rolling my eyes at his obvious displeasure with my lateness. When he felt I had stood there long enough, he spoke. "Please sit down." He gestured to the seat across from him.

If I didn't know that Felipe de Castro was a ruthless bastard in business, politics and everything in between, I might have been attracted to him. His caramel complexion and dark features made him a handsome vampire, and I knew of many female vampires that wanted to share his nest. What they didn't realize was that our king would not hesitate to eliminate anyone on a sudden whim. All he needed was any excuse to think you crossed him and it was certain, final death, without any sort of tribunal or trial. I learned long ago that it was best to stay out of his crosshairs.

I looked over at the vampire sitting next to Pam. He had short, black, wavy hair and looked like he stepped off the cover of GQ magazine. I wondered if he was de Castro's new lover, because the king kept glancing over at him, checking on him. With every glance, the stylish vamp smiled at the king, or raised his eyebrows, or made some other gesture. I hoped they weren't planning on fucking on my bar table.

After a while, Felipe de Castro closed the bar books, neatly stacked them, and handed them to Pam, who was sitting by his side. With a charming smile, he said, "That will be all, Pamela."

Pam stood and bowed low, "Thank you, your Highness." She hurried over to join Bill behind the bar, leaving me alone with de Castro and his mystery guest. Bill brought over glasses of fresh v-juice for us, and the two vamps continued to eye-flirt with each other while I sat there. Of course, I acted like none of this bothered me, while thoughts of Eric kept sneaking into my head, making me loathe de Castro even more. Once he finished his drink, he set the glass down and looked at me.

"Sheriff, this is my new lieutenant, Victor Madden. He will be staying here for a few days to audit your Area's assets and operations. I expect your full cooperation." I wondered why he didn't ask why I was late.

I gave Victor Madden a nod, and he smirked at me, his expression giving me a good idea of how painful this audit would be.

"Certainly, your Majesty. It would be my pleasure. May I inquire as to the reason for the audit?"

"You may inquire. However, I will need to review your audit before I'll answer your question, Sheriff."

This hard-nosed treatment from Felipe de Castro did not bode well for me, although I suppose I deserved it for being unavailable when the royal entourage arrived. Guess he knew he was going to fuck with me anyway, so why bother scolding me for being 20 minutes late?

I looked around the bar, and could see the king was travelling with at least four bodyguards that I could see, and probably more outside. Some of them would probably stay with Victor as he performed the audit. I wondered where I would find accommodations for all of them. It wasn't like there were vampire hotels. My guests would have to rest with another vamp's nest. The night just kept getting better, and in spite of Felipe's refusal to answer my question, I still had to kiss his royal behind.

"I'm sure you will find everything in order, my King."

"Victor, please explain to the Sheriff what you need for the audit so that she can make the necessary arrangements."

"Certainly, my lord." Victor fixed his brown eyes on me, and cracked a thin smile that showed the tips of his fangs. "Miss Stackhouse, I will want to meet with each and every vampire in the Area. They are to provide their financial records, including all assets and investments. They will also provide any information about their origins, who turned them, and when they were made vampire. This is a comprehensive audit of all Area holdings. Do you understand?"

This was some serious shit. I couldn't remember an audit like this in the past 100 years, and whatever the reason, it was important enough for the King to come personally. Victor enjoyed giving me direction, too, and he was absolutely beaming at the King. They were sharing one of those "moments" again—there had to be more to their relationship than just king to lieutenant.

"Let's start with your Area roster. We will schedule interviews with each vampire on the list. You do have a directory of all the vampires in the area, don't you?"

What a prick. I wondered how old he was, and whether I could take him in a fight. Visions of his ashen body filled my head. I plastered on a fake smile.

"I'll be happy to get that for you, Victor. I'll need to get it from my office."

"Go." He dismissed me with a flick of his hand, and de Castro looked at him with admiration.

When I got to my office, Pam was seated at my desk, entering bar receipts into the books. As soon as I opened the door, she jumped up, and immediately started talking at me.

"Sookie…what the hell do they want?" Pam said quietly, as if she was worried about who might overhear.

"Information, Pam. That and, to make us squirm. So don't." I was at the safe, trying to open the combination lock. I didn't like Victor, and the prospects of working with him the next few days made me want to drain someone—namely Victor.

"You better keep "you know who" away from here, then."

That's why I liked Pam—she was always looking out for me. I assured her I had already taken care of "you know who."

"I know. I have already told him to stay away." I scowled as I dug through the paperwork in the safe, looking for the Area "roster" for the new thorn in my side.

"I'm so sorry, Sookie. I know…" I didn't let her finish.

"Don't be. There's no time for that. I've got to get this paperwork out to them. Now."

"What can I do to help?" I pulled the Area books I needed from the safe and closed it.

"Start figuring out where we put the royal entourage to rest. Who has space in their nest for visitors?" Pam handling the overnight accommodations would take a lot of pressure off me. Every little bit would help me stay on my toes with the king and his lieutenant.

"I'll get right on it, Sookie. What's the scoop on the new guy? If he wasn't with the king, I'd be all over him."

In the midst of all of this, Pam still had time to tease a little. I rolled my eyes at her, wondering how she could be thinking about Victor as a sexual conquest when we were deep in shit. But it helped break the tension, and I relaxed a little.

"He's Victor Madden, de Castro's new lieutenant. Oh, you'll get a chance to get to know him, since he will probably be up our asses here all week. I'm not sure he'd like to share your bed, though—he might be more attracted to kings, if you know what I mean."

"Well, that's never stopped me before." She winked at me.

"No, it hasn't Pam, but don't get your hopes up. While you get resting arrangements together, let Bill and Clancy know what is going on, too. Discreetly."

As I left the office, Pam grabbed my arm and gave it a quick squeeze. When I looked at her, I had no doubt she would do whatever necessary to help me. Bill and Clancy would do the same. A little more tension released in me, and I was ready to face whatever was coming next.

Hours later, we had a schedule. All the area vamps would be at the Silver Dollar Bar at least once over the next five days. With the additional traffic in and out of the bar, it would be harder to avoid notice by the people of Battle Mountain, and their tolerance of us only went so far. I'd need Clancy to keep an eye on the townies to make sure they weren't getting nervous.

At the end of the night, I was completely convinced Felipe de Castro was up to something major, Victor Madden was his lover, and the next five days could possibly be the worst in all of my existence.

A few hours before dawn, I signaled to Pam to gather up the vampires in the bar, so they could all pledge their fealty to their King. I actually thought I saw a look of approval from the King get thrown my way. Victor Madden rolled his eyes and smirked at me behind the king's back.

After we finished, Pam came over with her notepad. She stood silently next to me, waiting for permission to speak. When I gave her the nod, she spoke.

"Mistress, I have the accommodations prepared."

"Your Highness, would you like to review them?"

"Please."

"My king, I offer my sleep chamber to you. There are two adjoining spaces for your guards. I'm sure you will be very comfortable.

"That sounds acceptable, Sheriff. Victor Madden will rest with me. Perhaps you would like to join us? There is still time before dawn, and we might enjoy it in a less serious manner."

Ewww... de Castro's eyes lit up, and his fangs ran down as he made his offer to me. There would be no gracious way to refuse the king, and as I prepared to force a yes from my lips, I remembered what Pam had said to me earlier.

"Perhaps you would consider honoring Pamela with your offer. I believe you and your lieutenant have enchanted her."

Pam had her head bowed, but I could see the smile she was trying to hide on her face. Her fangs were peaking out, and when I saw the pleasure she had in my suggestion, I didn't bother feeling any remorse for offering her to the king like I did. The king obviously liked the suggestion, too.

"Pamela, look at me. Would you like to join Victor and me at rest this morning? Perhaps engage in some playtime?"

Pam raised her eyes to the King. She was still smiling.

"Yes, your majesty. I would consider it a privilege."

"Sheriff, we will use your accommodations for the night, and you may stay at Pamela's resting place instead. I will be leaving at sundown and Victor Madden will stay to oversee the audit. We will reconvene when he is finished."

Felipe turned to Victor and then to Pam.

"Shall we?" Victor took one arm, and Pam the other. It was a scary sight. With a nod to me, he said, "Good rest, Sheriff."

Felipe, Pam and Victor left the bar for their "playtime". Bill and Clancy watched the trio leave, and when they turned to me, I could only shrug. It was Pam's choice, and while I was so grateful, I hoped she just didn't do it for me. I wouldn't ask any of my vampires to do something like that—I did have my own honor to uphold.

I didn't linger at the bar—it had been a long night, and by the time I made it to Pam's resting place, I was ready for dawn to take me under. There was still a little time, so I grabbed my phone, scrolled through the directory, looking for the number I entered earlier in the evening. It seemed so long ago that I was sitting in the truck with Eric, and those few kisses we shared, were the jewel of my evening. I opened the phone and started to press the letters. Even though I was breaking my own rule, I couldn't keep myself from reaching out to him.

_Sorry about tonight. I promise I'll make it up to you. A few more days. S._

I closed the phone, took my familiar resting position, and the only thoughts I allowed in my head were of Eric.

* * *

Well, what is that Felipe de Castro up to? Hmm... remember, the great revelation has not occurred yet.. I'd be honored with your comments, so click the link, and let me know what you think! *hugs* tm


	7. Chapter 7

Charlaine Harris owns the characters. I'm just playing with them.

Much gratitude goes to my lovely, talented beta, Kristin Elizabeth. If there are any mistakes in this chapter, they are all mine.

Just wanted to mention the **Dead Pan Contest** being hosted by **Pixiegiggles ** and **Nycsnowbird**:

http: // www. fanfiction. net/ u/ 2231715/ Dead_Pan_Contest (remove spaces).

These stories are so much fun and could use your review love! Entries are being accepted until May 15th.

* * *

Eric POV

Sookie was out of the car, around the corner, and out of sight in seconds. In a blink, she was gone and I was sitting in my truck alone. The sudden change in plans made me question whether this entire Battle Mountain experience was all a big mistake. In the back of my mind, my Gramp's voice from long ago echoed, quiet and clear as the day he said it—there were some things in life you just had to accept. No amount of wishing, hoping, or hard work would change it.

Over the years I remembered him saying it, and it was good advice—it applied after my parent's death, and other times in my life. The words had meaning in all sorts of situations, whether it was accepting something good or not so good. Maybe Sookie's surprise visitors were a sign I should accept my fate as a telepathic loner, get on with my life, and give up on the idea of companionship. The woman I wanted, the reason I decided to stay in this dusty, cold town, just walked away, telling me very clearly, to _stay_ away—and even though she promised to call me when she could get free, it didn't exactly inspire confidence in my decision to take a chance on Sookie.

But as soon as I convinced myself I should move on, an uneasy feeling ran through me, as if to stop me from making another wrong decision. It didn't feel right to leave. My gut told me Sookie was not happy about these visitors, and for some reason, leaving now would feel like deserting her. I wouldn't say she was scared, but she sure didn't want them here, whoever they were. I knew, if she could, she would have stayed with me tonight, and that just made me more determined to see it through in Battle Mountain. What I ended up accepting was the fact that I trusted her, although I hardly knew her. Trusting her felt right, and my acceptance meant all I had to worry about was getting a good night's sleep for work tomorrow.

The casino bar was full with mostly men watching Monday night football, and since I had napped earlier, I wasn't really tired. I decided to grab a beer and something to eat before heading back to my room. There was an unoccupied table over in a dark corner that looked perfect and I stopped at the bar to order my food and beer before sitting down. I took a minute and listened using my telepathy, smiling. It was just as I expected. Most of the time, folks said one thing, while thinking something entirely different—sometimes my head would spin from it. For some reason, though, sporting events put what people thought, and said, in sync, and the casino bar didn't disappoint me in that respect. I relaxed and watched the game while I waited for my food. Ever since Sookie had left the car, the night had been uneventful, close to boring—until I was getting ready to leave, that is.

As I finished the last swallow of my beer, Amelia, the girl from the Owl Restaurant, walked in with a group of men and women. They were rowdy, laughing, talking loudly, and everyone at the bar turned to look at them. Their boisterous behavior left no doubt they had been drinking. The three men went directly to the bar, calling out to the bartender like an old friend. Since the exit was on the other side of the bar, there was no way I could leave now without Amelia seeing me, and it all became a moot point when Amelia spotted me.

"Hey! Eric!" She screamed across the room, waving wildly at me. I waved back and got up from my table with the intent of saying a quick hello and making an equally quick getaway to my room.

"Hi Amelia. How are you tonight?" Her girlfriends were giving me the once over. Their thoughts ran the gamut from wondering if the kids were okay with the sitter, if their men were getting them a beer, to wondering where Amelia had met a stud like me and how they might move in on me when she wasn't looking—all these thoughts bombarded me in a matter of seconds. If I stayed around them much longer, my head would probably hurt.

"Just hanging out with some friends. Come on, have a beer with us. It's still early." She smiled at me, and I remembered that she had been nice to me the night before, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings. I reckoned there wouldn't be any harm in one beer and Amelia had already proved herself to have information about Sookie and the Silver Dollar Bar, so I figured I wouldn't take much to pump them for more information. It didn't take a Breathalyzer to know they already had one too many drinks in them, and that would make for loose lips… and thoughts.

"Sure, why not? I can stay for one beer, but then I have to go. Work tomorrow."

"So you decided to stay? You got a job?" Amelia's eyes were sparkling now, and her friends were calculating, thinking how they might get my number from Amelia.

"Yeah, I start tomorrow. I'll see if I like it."

"Where is it?"

I didn't want to say outright. Something told me to be careful about telling them too much.

"Some mining operation out in the middle of nowhere." Everyone laughed when I said that. One of the other women spoke up.

"Everything here is in the middle of nowhere, Eric! Amelia, aren't you going to introduce us to your new friend?" She said it in a sarcastic, sing-song sort of way, and I sensed Amelia's annoyance.

"Oh, I guess so. Eric, this is my friend Lisa, and this is Holly." Amelia didn't look happy to introduce me to these two, probably because they had gone after her prospective boyfriends in the past. I heard that in her head.

"Nice to meet you Lisa, Holly. Do you two live around here?"

Lisa was opening her mouth to answer when one of the men in their group came to the table carrying two handfuls of beer bottles by their long necks.

"Who's your friend, Amelia?" He handed a beer to each woman, and still had a few bottles left in his hand. He kept his eyes on me, and tried to look intimidating, but when I peaked into his head, he was thinking about how he was going to get me to buy the next round of beers.

"Arlo, this is Eric. He's new in town. Eric, this is my friend Arlo, and that's Whit and Donny." She pointed to the guys at the bar.

Arlo sat down, choosing a seat that was between me and the girls. "Have a beer, Eric." He handed one of the beers in his hand to me. "What brings you to Battle Mountain?"

"Just stopped here on my way to Wyoming, and figured this place was as good as any to stick around for a while."

"Eric's been to the Silver Dollar." Amelia waggled her eyebrows, and I wondered why she was bringing that up.

Arlo shifted in his chair. _Not for much longer_.

I caught his thought and suddenly I wanted to keep him talking.

"Yeah, what is the scoop on that place? Amelia said something about vampires—you don't really believe that do you?" I hoped my tone was casual.

"Well, you've been there. You tell me." Arlo struck me as street smart, and it was obvious he was trying to figure out what I knew about the Silver Dollar.

"I've been in some strange bars in my day—it seemed okay to me." I shrugged.

Arlo snorted. _There's nothing okay about that place. Damn vampires. This guy must be a freak too._

Arlo was just about to say something, when Holly interrupted.

"So where are you staying in town, Eric? We can help you find a place." She asked as she looked at Lisa and giggled. _I'd be happy to help you find a place and show you a thing or two_.

"I've got a hotel room until I know I'm staying for sure, then I'll look for a place. I don't know how long I'll be staying."

"You let us know if you need any help." Amelia gave her girlfriends a hard look. _I saw him first._

Whit and Donny came to the table, and Amelia repeated her introductions. Whit surprised me with his good manners by putting his hand out to shake mine, but when he did, I got a flash of him pointing at blueprints, telling Donny, _put the charges here_. I only caught a glimpse and then he was thinking about getting a blow job from Lisa. That was, beyond a doubt, a "too much information" moment, and I wished I could rewind his thoughts and go back to the blueprint image.

Being a telepath, I've had lots of experience with human thought patterns. Most people cycled through many different things every minute, from their unspoken comments about what was happening right then and there, to what they needed to do tomorrow, and if they were worried about something, those thoughts replayed in their mind more often. The thoughts I heard weren't always complete or even understandable. But the snippets I caught from Arlo, Whit and Donny, had me worried, and even though they didn't like it, I stayed for a second beer when Amelia insisted. Their thoughts were as loose as their tongues, and what I heard made me think these three bozos had something nasty planned for the Silver Dollar Bar. I just didn't know when. Or what.

By midnight, the football game was over, and my new "friends" were ready to move on to a new location. I said good night and went to my room, mulling over the bits and pieces of information I had heard from them. I thought about calling Sookie, but then I remembered her plea to stay away, don't call, and I closed my cell phone. Besides, I had nothing concrete to tell her anyway, but I would keep listening, especially if I ran into Amelia and her friends again.

I woke up early the next morning, anxious to get to my new job. I showered and shaved, hoping Amelia wasn't working this morning. I doubted she would be, considering her condition last night. I grabbed my cell phone off the charger and noticed there was a text message…from Sookie. I read it a couple of times, and stuffed it in my pocket. I smiled, happy that Sookie had been thinking of me last night. It was the perfect send-off as I was going to my new job. In spite of a niggling feeling that she might be in some sort of trouble, I smiled, and fantasized about how she might make it up to me on the drive to Merlotte's.

Merlotte's Mining office looked drab and dingy in the daylight. The old trailer that served as the office was worn from the desert heat and wind, but unlike last night, there were many vehicles parked in front, and men coming in and out of the office. I walked in and the man sitting behind the one desk in the office looked up.

"You must be Eric. Hi, I'm Sam." He held out his hand and I shook it. He gestured for me to sit down.

"Hi Sam. Nice to meet you." I looked around the trailer and got the sense that Sam wasn't the most organized boss around. The desk was covered with piles of paper and files, in semi-neat stacks around the perimeter. There wasn't much room to work, but I doubted Sam stayed in the office very much. He grabbed some papers from the file cabinet behind him, flipped through them, and then handed them to me.

"Here's the paperwork to get you on payroll. You can fill them out later and bring them in tomorrow. So, what do you know how to do?"

"Well, I'm good with mechanical things, like cars and motors and such. I can do just about anything, really."

"I've got some broken down conveyors—can you take a look at them and tell me what I need to get them fixed?"

"Sure, point me in the right direction."

Sam opened a storage cabinet, getting out a hard hat, and then he grabbed one from the top of his filing cabinet. He handed me one.

"Here, put this on."

He gave me a tour of the mine and showed me the broken conveyors. They were old and had been repaired many times already. It was a typical small time operation. The work was challenging and kept my mind occupied, so I didn't spend much time thinking of Sookie. The day went by quickly and by quitting time I was dirty and tired. I stopped at the office trailer on my way out, and Sam was sitting at his desk, running his hand through his hair while he looked at his computer screen. He looked frazzled. When he saw me come in, he stopped what he was doing.

"How did everything go, Eric? Any problems?"

"No, no problems. That one conveyor is going to need a few parts, and I haven't had a chance to look at the other. I can do that tomorrow." I rubbed the dirt and grease from my hands while I talked. I'd have to get something to clean up with if this was the type of work I'd be doing.

"Great. Thank you. I can see Sookie was right about your mechanical skills. It would be great to get at least one of those conveyors working."

At the sound of Sookie's name, I perked up a little. I wanted to talk about her—hoped he would talk about her.

"No problem. Should have at least one working by the end of the week, if you can get me the parts."

"Just let me know what you need. How about a beer? I hate Tuesday – it's paperwork day. I used to have an office manager that took care of it for me, but she left and I haven't had a chance to hire anyone new. It takes me twice as long to get it done, and twice the aggravation."

I laughed. "Sure, a beer would be great."

"There's a sink back here where you can wash up, if you'd like. Come on back."

Sam grabbed two beers from a refrigerator, and I washed my hands. We sat for a while, drinking without talking and for the first time I noticed that I couldn't hear Sam's thoughts clearly. They were muted somehow, and I really had to strain to pick up specific words or images, so I just stopped trying. We talked about the conveyor parts I thought I needed, and Sam didn't think he would have any problems finding them. After another silence, I finally asked what I had wanted to since I walked in this morning.

"So, Sam, how long have you known Sookie?"

"Let's see." He thought for a moment, and said. "Ten years. She was the first person I met here. I can hardly believe that was ten years ago." He gave me a hard look and then a warning. "We look out for each other—and she is my friend. I'd be really unhappy if anything happened to her or if anyone hurt her."

Well, that told me something, but I wanted to be sure.

"Are you dating her?"

Sam laughed. "Well, at one time, I thought about it, but no, we aren't dating, just friends. I'm guessing you are asking me that because you like her."

"Yeah, I like her. I like her a lot."

Sam smiled. "Well, Sookie is pretty terrific. I mean, she's beautiful, and smart, and a good businesswoman… and so much more. You really should stick around and get to know her."

"I was planning on it, but last night, she got some visitors at the bar and told me to stay away."

Sam looked worried now. He got up from his chair and paced around the small trailer. The change in mood didn't help calm my fears.

"Really? Well, I'm sure she had a good reason to tell you that. Did she, um, mention who the visitors were or how long they would be here?"

"She didn't say, but thought they would be here a few days. Is she in trouble? If she is, I want to help."

Sam started pacing again, looking decidedly uncomfortable. I thought he was going to say something, but he didn't, as if he couldn't find the right words.

"Sookie can take care of herself, I'm sure. She isn't like other females."

"I know, and that's what I really like about her. I don't know, somehow I feel drawn to her or something. Sounds crazy, I know, because I haven't known her very long, but I feel like I _do_ know her. Is that crazy?"

Sam chuckled a little, lightening the mood somewhat. "Well, I'm sure she has a few surprises for you yet. People aren't always what you think…"

"Yeah, sometimes they are even better… right?"

Sam snorted, and before I had a chance to question him further, he deftly changed the subject to sports. We discussed last night's football game, which reminded me of what I had heard from Amelia's friends. I was going to ask Sam about them when his phone rang, and he waved me off.

"I've got to take this call, Eric. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

The next three days passed by quickly and I found I liked working for Sam Merlotte. He was easy going and friendly. We spent most evenings after work having a beer or two at the trailer or sometimes in a nearby restaurant. I kept myself busy, and met friends of Sam's whenever we went out. But in the moments before I fell asleep each night, I thought of Sookie. Sometimes, I would even drive by the Silver Dollar Bar at night before I went back to my hotel, thinking I might catch a glimpse of her, somehow. I hadn't heard anything from her since that text message.

I stayed away from Amelia and the Owl restaurant. I didn't want to give her any false hope that we could be anything more than friends. Most nights I was occupied with Sam, but tonight he had other plans, so I was on my own. I stopped in the Owl bar to grab a quick bite, thinking I would get to bed early, hoping that I would hear from Sookie soon. My patience was wearing thin.

The usual clientele was at the bar tonight—townsfolk and roadies, all downing their drinks while they watched whatever was on the television. I picked out a table and signaled to the bartender who, by now, knew what I liked to drink. As I sat down, I noticed Amelia's friends at a corner table, sitting in the shadows. They weren't boisterous and drunk tonight—they were deep in conversation. Their focus was a great big warning flag to me, so different from the night I met them. They didn't see me, or at least, didn't acknowledge me, so I sat down, relaxed… and listened. In between the sounds of the bar, what I heard caused my heart to beat fast.

_Clear the bloodsuckers out of this town...fuckin Silver Dollar…_

Whit, did you get them?

_Explosives_

_Check_

_Detonator_

_Check_

How about your cousin, the demo expert?

_Set the charges in the day_

Yeah, he'll be here tomorrow morning.

_Check_

_Level the place_

_Check_

Is everyone in? This is your last chance to bail.

_The town will love us…we'll be heroes_

I'm in. Me too.

_Thursday night_

I was concentrating so hard on what they were saying, audibly and in their heads, I didn't realize I had finished my beer. My heart was beating like a drum. I had to warn Sookie. She couldn't be there tomorrow night. I couldn't let her be there. She had to get out—and her friends too. I dialed Sam's number, maybe he could help get the word to Sookie, but there was no answer. I took a few deep breaths. Was I wrong? I couldn't be, not after what I heard? Right? No, I couldn't wait, even if I was wrong, it was better safe than sorry.

I threw some money for my beer and dinner on the table without getting a check. I was going to the Silver Dollar Bar to warn Sookie, and I was going now.

It didn't take long to walk to the Silver Dollar and I took a deep breath before pushing the door open. I didn't know what to expect when I walked in, what Sookie's visitors were like or why she wanted me to stay away. I just knew I had to warn her.

I pushed the door open and the doorman's arm shot out, stopping me from going any farther.

"What are you doing here? I thought Sookie told you to stay away?"

"Listen, I need to talk to her. Now. It's important." He looked me right in the eye and I looked right back, hoping the expression on my face let him know this was serious.

"Okay, go over to the bar and stay there."

The bar was packed, and it seemed like everyone looked at me when I walked in. There was a definite vibe in the place, and it wasn't a good one. I felt like a virgin at an orgy.

As soon as I sat down at the bar, Bill came over. He didn't ask if I wanted anything to drink.

"What are you doing here?" He kept his voice low.

"I need to see Sookie." I said quietly.

"This isn't a good time."

"It's important."

He gave me an exasperated look, shaking his head.

"Stay here. I'll see if she's available. DON'T MOVE." I could see Bill give Clancy a look, and they both looked worried now.

Bill walked over to Pam, who was sitting alone at one of the tables. He whispered something to her, and she looked at me. Geez, what the hell was going on here?

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Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed and appreciated. *hugs* tm


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I'm just playing with them.

This is also the place I thank my lovely beta, the talented Kristin Elizabeth. I often struggle to find the right words to express my gratitude. This time, I must give her a great big *hug* for giving me some very good advice. That advice helped bring this chapter to you. So thank you, my dear friend, and I hope you will enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. *gigglesnort*

I visualized Christian Bale as Victor Madden when writing this, and you will find a link to the pic I had in mind in my profile.

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Ch. 8

**Sookie POV**

When Pam whispered in my ear that Eric was waiting to see me at the bar, I knew that my best laid plans for keeping Victor Madden and Felipe de Castro out of my personal life, had just been shot to hell. Humans called this Murphy's Law—anything that can go wrong will go wrong, but I preferred the Robert Burns quote, "The best laid schemes of mice and men oft go awry." It suited the situation perfectly. My plan to keep Eric off Victor's radar screen was definitely down the proverbial tubes. Victor would want Eric for feeding and fucking in a heartbeat.

The past four nights with Victor Madden lurking around the bar had been challenging, maybe even tortuous at times, and tonight was the last of it—the final interviews before Felipe de Castro returned for a recap of the Area audit, otherwise known as my leadership report card in one hundred pages or less. Each night while Victor was here, I arrived at the bar at first dark before anyone else, and I checked the place over. I was the last to leave after the bar closed. If any vampire in the area aspired to oust me as Sheriff, now would be the perfect time.

I had seen this scenario before—make a case for your leader's deficiencies in front of the higher-ups, and you had a good chance of taking their place. I did a mental tally of who might be willing to backstab me while Victor was here. There was that run in with Barry and Jake days ago, but I didn't think either of them had the balls to go through with it. Still, having Victor here for four days straight put me in a very tenuous position. Everyone was a suspect when you were vulnerable.

Pam was doing more than her part by keeping Victor Madden occupied when he wasn't interviewing area vampires at the bar. I could have commanded Pam to satisfy Victor's needs every night. Instead, she simply did what needed to be done, without having to be compelled. She always knew how to ease my distractions, so I could concentrate on the important stuff, like keeping us intact through this ridiculous audit. It helped to know that Victor wasn't in a position to get unsolicited information while he was away from the bar.

I told Pam more than once that she didn't have to entertain him every night, that I would take my turn at the odious task, but she insisted. Pam thought I would not be convincing as a willing playmate, and she was right about that. Going back to Pam's every night was the only respite I had from this cluster fuck of an audit. It was the time I allowed myself to think of Eric, as dawn took me under. His warm kisses, his manly hands, his beautiful golden hair that felt like silk between my fingers, the exquisite taste of his blood. All of these images ran through my mind every night as I lay in Pam's resting place. Each moment we had spent together, and there weren't many, played through my head every night.

Sam sent me text messages during the day, giving me updates on his "new employee" in a special code we had developed over the years. I counted on him to look after Eric while I was stuck in this mess, and he didn't let me down. Sam wasn't fond of the vampire political structure, thinking it made the vampire ranks more organized, and therefore stronger, than the shifters. In many ways, I didn't like the system either, particularly the part where a King and his lieutenant could just descend into your life and require your undivided attention. But the system had kept vampires safe for many years, and rebelling against it would likely get you killed.

So I followed orders like a good Sheriff, I kept my own Area vampires from outing our race, and hoped like hell the King and his people would soon be gone from Battle Mountain.

Each night, Victor interviewed the Area's vampires, compiling the information they disclosed into a report. Although the King had refused to tell me the purpose of the data collection, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know any vampire census in the wrong hands, meant big trouble for our kind. I was not convinced de Castro and Madden were the "right" hands to have this information, either. Whether used by outsiders or internally, the potential for misuse was enormous.

Tonight started out exactly like the three nights before it. Check the bar, check the office, and check the money. Check, check, check, and then wait for Victor to arrive with Pam. Bill and Clancy rolled in about an hour after I did. Instead of getting right to work as he usually did, Bill poured three glasses of V-juice and brought them over to my table, where I sat doing bar paperwork while I waited for Victor and Pam to arrive.

They sat right down, and Bill passed me a drink, before Clancy blurted out what was on his mind.

"Sookie, what the hell is going on?" Clancy never beat around the bush, and I liked that about him. I took a drink of my V-juice—I liked to think before I spoke.

"Well, beyond the obvious, I do not know for sure, but looks like some sort of vampire census. Why has the king ordered this?" I shrugged. "I don't know. Can you find out if this is going on in other kingdoms and areas, or just ours? Discreetly, of course"

Clancy loved it when he could put his contacts to good use. He never turned me down, and he smiled when he replied. "Sure, I can make a few calls. Any idea how much longer Victor is going to be here?"

I swear the lights in the bar dimmed with the mention of his name. "Best-case scenario? Tomorrow night the King returns to go over the report, and they leave shortly after."

"And worst-case scenario?" Bill asked, obviously not believing the best-case scenario would play out.

"I'm working on a plan for that." Of course, I had an exit strategy—I wasn't ready to divulge it just yet.

"I knew you would…let me know what I can do." Like Clancy and Pam, I knew I could count on Bill if things went south, but I really hoped that best-case scenario won out.

"How's things around town?" When Bill and Clancy exchanged a glance, I knew I wasn't going to like their answer.

"The town is getting a little antsy with the increased traffic down here. Lots of new faces, or at least ones they haven't seen before. Someone forgot to glamour one of the working girls at the casino. Could upset your apple cart. It would be good for things to settle down a little, soon."

"Lovely. All the more reason we need Victor and Felipe out of here. Let's try to get through tonight without incident. Better finish your drink and get to work, and start this night already."

I finished my drink and pushed the empty glass toward Bill, who collected it up when he and Clancy left the table to go back to work. I had dealt with a little unrest in town before, and it wasn't unusual to have a human to break the ranks and get nervous for no reason, but now was bad timing. If Felipe and Victor ended up staying in town, no doubt there would be trouble. In the past, I might have been worried about upsetting the balance between the town's people and the vampires, but not anymore.

I was tired of this undead life. Victor's visit made me realize that I didn't want to be under the thumb of some vampire king, called upon at a moment's notice, paying homage to those that enslaved me. Even though I was Sheriff, I was still beholding to the king, and that let him have control of me. I couldn't accept this life anymore. I wanted happiness, not vampire politics. It would be hard, maybe suicidal to give up the protection of the vampire system, but I wanted…something else. No more blind acceptance of a system I didn't support. Oh, I would probably be dead soon because of this decision, but the peace of mind I would have from living the way I wanted to would be worth it.

Although I had only known Eric a short time, his absence these past few days and Victor's unrelenting demands, made me take a good hard look at the rut that had become second nature to me. In many ways, the rhythm of a life was similar whether you are vampire or human, a repetition of tasks until you weren't even aware of what you were doing. In the vampire world, those tasks were a bit more hazardous—plotting against others, protecting what was yours, maneuvering to avoid final death, but it still became rote after years of it. You only had protection in the vampire world if you were power hungry and moved up the ladder. I wanted a future that was more than just avoiding final death.

I saw that future when I looked at Eric.

Pam's and Victor's arrival for the night squashed that thought like a boot meeting a bug, and I curtailed the "Eric and Sookie" fantasy that I had crafted in my mind over the last few days. Pam must have been playing "dress up" with Victor, because he was sporting a black western shirt, black jeans, and boots with an enormous pewter belt buckle. As much as Pam had tried to make him look like a rugged working man, he still looked like he stepped off the cover of GQ magazine. It might have been the way he carried himself, like he wanted everyone in the bar to look at his tight ass. Pam winked and rolled her eyes at me as she followed Victor back to my office. I would never be able to thank her enough for entertaining Victor the last three days.

I got up from the table and forced myself back to my office for another night of interviewing the remaining Area vampires. There were only a few left to interview, and Victor and I did that alone. Pam went back out to the bar, to help Bill and Clancy run things out there. When an area vamp arrived for their appointment, one of the bodyguards left by the king escorted him or her back to my office. I would introduce my vampire to Victor, and he proceeded with the interview, although, he conducted it more like an interrogation, asking each question in a curt manner.

"_Your name?"_

"_Date you were turned?"_

"_Place where you were turned?"_

"_Sire?"_

"_Current nestmates?"_

"_Years in this Area?"_

"_List of assets?"_

Victor asked for verification for every single asset on their list, and just when you thought the interview was a done deal, he headed into personal territory.

_Any Comments for your King? _

Any vampire with half a brain knew this was the spot to profess fealty to the King. No one had any comments, unless they wanted a very quick look at final death.

And then finally, just for giggles, the last question.

"_Are you happy with Miss Stackhouse and her leadership?_"

Victor never referred to me as Sheriff. It was always Miss Stackhouse, as if he didn't respect me enough to call me Sheriff. What an obnoxious button pusher he was.

More worrisome was that his final question implied that a change in leadership might be imminent. That's how most vampires would interpret that last question—if you don't like Stackhouse, now would be the time to say it. Every time Victor asked the question, the look he gave the vampire under questioning left no doubt he expected a truthful answer. I really thought he was more interested in my reaction than what they had to say, since he might have gotten some different answers had I not been in the room. It was a trick question for all of us, any way you sliced it.

There were only a few remaining area vampires to interview, and Victor soon had all the information he needed for his audit. For the next hour, he directed me in assembling the final report for the king, while he sat in his chair drinking V-juice. He got off on ordering me around in a polite, yet condescending manner—I could tell. If no one ever called me "Miss Stackhouse" again, that would be just fine with me.

"Miss Stackhouse, I think we have almost everything wrapped up here. Looks like you have good little minions in your area…no trouble." He sounded disappointed.

"Yes, It's pretty quiet here Victor. It's why we like it here, and I would hate to think that anything would mess that up." Like you.

"Well, all that matters is what the king wants, isn't that right, Miss Stackhouse."

He was such an ass-kisser.

"Absolutely. So will the King be here tomorrow night?" I hated to ask, because Victor might interpret it as me being nervous about the King's visit. However, that might get the King here faster, too.

"Yes, I will be calling him shortly to say we are finished here. He will arrive tomorrow and we will go over the report." Victor kept his eyes on me, watching me move about the room as I assembled the report.

A tentative knock on the office door broke up the fascinating conversation Victor and I were having. I opened the door and Pam was standing there. She crooked her finger at me to call me out into the hallway.

Once I was out of the office, she whispered, "Sookie, you need to come out to the bar—_now_." Pam's tone made the hair on my neck stand up. She was rattled.

"I'm not sure that I can. We are in the middle of preparing the report."

"Someone is here you need to talk to." She opened her eyes wide, her eyebrows raised, like it was a secret code for something. I had no idea why she was acting this way.

She mouthed, "_Eric_," while making sure she was standing behind the door so Victor wouldn't see her.

My eyes flew open wide, just like Pam's, at the thought of Eric being in the bar.

I pulled Pam into the room, closed the door, and turned around to Victor, who was looking through the messages on his cell.

"Victor, I need to go out to the bar. I'll be back in a moment. Can I bring you a fresh drink? Pam can assist you if there is more to be done with the report." I tried to make my tone respectful and nonchalant.

Victor barely looked up from his phone, when he replied. "Yes, another drink would be welcome, Miss Stackhouse. I'd be happy to have Pamela help me, but don't be long, because I want to wrap this up. I do believe Pamela and I have plans for later in the evening."

He motioned for Pam to come closer, and when she did, he ran his hand up her arm. To her credit, Pam did not flinch. I didn't know how she could stand it.

"Certainly, Victor, I won't be long." I tried to keep the nervous excitement out of my voice.

Victor needed to stay in that office, and I made a mental note to add a lock to the outside of the door after he left—it would come in handy at times like this. I should have been angry with Eric for showing up at the bar when I explicitly told him not to come here, but all I could feel was happy to see him.

He was standing at the bar, talking to Bill. His long, lean body was covered in denim, as usual, and he wore a simple white tee under his jean jacket. He was living proof that the simplest of outfits could be downright sexy. He had his back to the bar, watching the hallway to my office. As soon as he saw me, his eyes lit up and I saw him hold back his smile—just like I was holding back mine. I couldn't let anyone in the bar, especially Victor, know the depth of my feelings for this human. _Focus on getting him out of here, Sookie_, I told myself. Victor was likely to be suspicious already, and it wouldn't be long before his curiosity would bring him out here.

I walked up to him, stopping as close as I could without throwing myself in his arms. I wanted him to hold me, and make me forget the past four days with Victor. My hand brushed against his, and for a moment, his fingers twined with mine. The touch of his warm skin sent a little ripple of pleasure through me. He smelled so good—fresh, and clean, like the outdoors. I wanted to grab him and walk out of the bar forever. When my eyes met his, the serious look on his face brought me back to reality.

I leaned into him and whispered, "Eric, what are you doing here? This is NOT a good time."

His hand brushed mine again, and with a muted voice, he told me, "I know, I'm sorry, but I had to warn you. I think some of the town's people are going to bomb the bar. Tomorrow night."

Well, that got my attention. Coupled with what Clancy had told me earlier, I did not doubt him. My mind started churning through the possibilities.

"How do you know this?" It wasn't like the town would put up flyers to announce something like this.

"I heard some of them talking about it at the Owl bar."

We were standing so close together, facing each other, and his eyes darted to the doorway to my office, as if he was waiting for someone to show up there. Very carefully, and out of sight, his big hand found mine again, and he ran his thumb across my skin with a light touch.

It seemed strange to smile when he was telling me my bar could be destroyed tomorrow night, but I couldn't help it. His touch soothed all that was wrong in my undead life. A potential bombing was serious business, and as much as I wanted to just grab Eric and run, my obligation to protect the area vampires was important to me.

"Is that all you heard? I need to know everything, quickly."

"I heard them say something about setting the charges for the explosives during the day. How can they do that without being seen?" Eric had been thinking about this, too.

"I don't know, but I'm going to figure it out. You need to get out of here—_now_. Please. I'll text you, soon, I promise." I squeezed his hand. I was close to pleading with him to go, first because of Victor, and second, to keep him out of the bomb zone, but in my undead heart, I wanted him to stay.

At first, Eric looked surprised I was telling him to leave, and then he gave a nod in agreement. He didn't let go of my hand though, and his expression changed again as I saw him look over my shoulder, back toward my office. His eyes were fixed on something there. I didn't have to turn around to guess that it was Victor.

"Who's that?"

I flinched, just a little, knowing that Victor was watching Eric, right at that very moment. "One of my bosses."

"I thought you owned this place?"

"Yeah, well, I do, but I have…obligations. I said I would explain…Eric, please… you've got to go."

I felt the tension permeate my body, and in response, Eric squeezed my hand, the one that was out of sight. I gave him a squeeze in return, before I let him go. All I needed was Victor seeing me holding hands with a human, and I would get my wish to be out of the vampire political structure…permanently.

"Can't now Sookie, he's coming over. It will be all right. I can handle this."

Eric couldn't possibly know what he was saying. Victor coming over here was NOT a good thing. But, somehow Eric knew exactly what to do, and he took a casual stance up with his back up against the bar.

I glanced back to the doorway to my office to see Victor making a beeline right for us, his eyes practically glowing, as he focused on Eric alone. Pam trailed behind him, and when she caught my eye, she put her hands up in surrender. The smallest of head movement from me let her know I wasn't angry with her—she had done such a good job keeping Victor under control the past three days, I couldn't blame her for not detaining Victor effectively. The minute I found out Eric was in the bar, I had a good idea it would end exactly like this. So much for plans.

Victor did his little tight-ass walk over to us, and he didn't look at me once. Victor was a predator, and he only had eyes for his prey. He didn't bother to hide the lust in his eyes, and every area vampire in the bar recognized the signs of one of their own kind looking for to feed and fuck. The walls felt like they were closing in on me.

Eric, on the other hand kept his eyes on me, his face loose and relaxed, and pretended like Victor was nothing more than another bar patron. When Victor took up space next to him, Eric didn't flinch. If I weren't already falling for Eric, I would have right then and there. Watching him give Victor a little of his own medicine sealed the deal for me.

All of this transpired in seconds, but it felt like hours to me.

Victor, of course, wasn't going to stand for being ignored. He took charge, and broke the silence.

"Miss Stackhouse, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" His voice was silky smooth, not like the commanding tone he used interviewing the area vamps or with me.

"He was just leaving, Victor." This was still my Area, and if Victor wanted more, he was going to have to work for it.

"Well, I think he's going to stay a little longer, aren't you? " Victor placed his hand on Eric's forearm, and Eric didn't even flinch. As a matter of fact, he turned toward Victor and smiled smugly, almost as if he was teasing him.

Victor beamed. "Now tell me, what is your name?"

"I'm Eric."

"Nice to meet you, Eric. I'm Victor. Do you come here often?" Victor tried not to leer when he said it. There was no doubt in my mind he flirting with Eric.

"I'm just passing through." Eric shrugged.

"Ah yes, hmm. Perhaps you might stay a while longer this evening." Victor moved a little closer, brushing himself against Eric's arm, touching him.

Eric let all of the flirting and touching continue, without so much as a tiny flinch or eye roll. The man had experience being propositioned, that was obvious, and he was skilled in deflecting his suitors, without causing a scene. The man had been in this situation before.

"Sorry, Victor, but I've got to run."

Victor flinched and the smile left his face—he wasn't used to being turned down. Eric, it seemed, was an expert in politely saying "no", and I could only hope that his skill would help keep him alive.

My own emotions bounced all over the place, from concern for Eric's safety, to satisfaction at the sight of Victor being refused.

"Well, maybe some other time then. Sometime soon." Victor turned on the charm once again.

When he put his hand out to shake Eric's, I was dumbfounded—vampires didn't engage in the human tradition of shaking hands, which only went to prove how interested Victor was in making a good impression.

Eric took Victor's outstretched hand, and in a smooth move, Victor held fast and stepped toward Eric. They stood chest to chest, nose to nose, in an odd human-supe version of a man-hug. Victor tried to catch Eric's eye to glamour him, and just like before, Eric resisted. Of course, Victor picked right up on that fact, and I wondered what he would do about it. Watching all this transpire was like watching a car wreck about to happen—you know there is going to be a crash, and there is nothing you can do about it.

The corner of Victor's mouth twitched, and his eyes following a path from Eric's eyes to his mouth. Eric gave no indication of whether he wanted Victor to stop or ... continue. Victor moved in closer, his lips quivering as he closed the distance to Eric's mouth. As he moved in, the corners of Eric's mouth curled up in a dirty little smile. He was actually enjoying this, and I wondered if he was going to let Victor kiss him. I wanted to push Victor away and yell "mine", but Eric looked like he could handle himself, and I didn't know how Eric would react to it. In another second, Victor would be close enough to kiss him.

Victor's lips were a hair away from Eric's. The collision imminent.

My human kept his smile and said in a very composed, and friendly voice, "Victor, have you ever heard of personal space? You are in mine, so back off, okay?"

And just like that, the collision was averted.

Victor pulled back, an incredulous look on his face. He made a slightly annoyed sound. "For now, I will. But please come see us again, Eric. Soon."

Eric moved away from Victor, and looked at me for the first time since Victor came over to us. His demeanor was still friendly and cordial.

"Got to go, Sookie, Victor. See you around." He gave no indication we were anything more than casual acquaintances, and he walked out of the bar without looking back. Victor was sure to sense my relief that Eric got out of here alive. I could not hide it. If I had any doubts about how I felt about Eric, they were gone.

Victor watched Eric walk out of the bar, no doubt admiring his ass, and thinking of ways to get Eric back here. He said nothing for at least ten minutes. Bill brought him a fresh drink, while I stood there like a good minion. Would this night never end?

He watched the door, as if he was hoping Eric would come back. He was rattled, and Eric had done it. Not only did he make it out of here alive, he put Victor in his place. I held back my smile.

When Victor finally spoke, I could hear an edge in his voice that wasn't there before. His tone was curt and impatient. I felt a trickle of anxiety pass through me.

"Miss Stackhouse, we have work to finish. Now."

He swallowed the last bit of V-juice in his glass and set it on the bar. Without another word, I followed his tight-ass back to my office. He gave me some quick instructions and then settled into his usual seat. While I was grateful for his silence, I wondered what he was scheming. It didn't take long to finish, and when I had the report collated and bound, he finally spoke.

"It would appear that you are holding out on me, Stackhouse. Such a beautiful human, and not easy to glamour. Is he yours? Is Eric your human?"

If I answered yes, Victor would know I was keeping secrets from him. If I answered no, he would try to acquire Eric for himself. I hope I chose the right one.

"No, Victor, he isn't mine. He just stops in the bar once in a while. He doesn't even know what we are, and I think it should stay that way."

"Well, if he isn't your property, then you don't have any say in the matter."

"That's not the point. We don't treat humans like that here."

He snorted. "Miss Stackhouse, you forget that humans serve two purposes and two purposes only. Food, and sex. I think the King would find Eric very suitable for both. Have Eric here at the bar by one a.m."

"And how do you expect me to do that? Sounded like he was on his way out of town, Victor."

"Well that is your problem, isn't it? Have him here at one, or you will need to answer to the king about why you are keeping secrets from him."

And there it was. Victor had found something to discredit me in front de Castro. He sat there gloating, and I wanted to rip a stake through his heart. I could never have imagined this worst-case scenario.

With a nasty smile, he looked at me and said, "Pamela and I have plans this evening, so let me see that report."

While Victor checked over my work, I was thinking about how I was going to deal with a potential bombing of my bar, and what the hell I was going to do about Eric. I didn't even have time to think about how much I hated Victor, because I had to think of a plan to save us before tomorrow evening. I was a little busy. Hating would have to wait.

Whatever the plan, the risks would be great, and there was a good chance none of us would come out of it alive—or undead. Vampire politics was a deadly game, and over the years, I had learned how to play—tomorrow night would be the test of how well I learned my lessons.

By the time I arrived at Pam's resting place, I knew what had to be done. I hoped Eric wouldn't hate me for it. I pulled out my cell phone and started the text message.

_Come to the bar tonight at 1am sharp. Go along with whatever I say. Please. Yours, S_

I made a few more calls, before dawn took me under.

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Thanks for reading, and for everyone who takes time to leave a review, my deepest gratitude! Your comments are always welcome and appreciated, you truly help motivate me when I'm writing each chapter. Hope you are enjoying the story!

If you love Eric and Sookie and are familiar with the Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost with the enticing Cat and Bones, check out the work of NorCrisp76, with my collaborators, LanYap and Kristin Elizabeth. We just started a new story called Wife Swap. You can read into that what you will.*wink* You can find it at:

http : / www . fanfiction . net / s / 5930664 / 1 / Wife_Swap

*hugs* tm


	9. Chapter 9

The characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I'm just having some fun with them.

As always, much gratitude goes to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth. Any mistakes you may find are all my own. And if you are looking for great reading recommendations, check out Kristin's blog, Kristin likes Fiction at http : / kristincp . blogspot . com

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Chapter 9**

**Eric POV**

I walked out of the Silver Dollar with a smirk on my face, knowing I ticked Victor off with that major brush-off. Even the bouncer looked impressed as he watched me walk to the exit. He leaned over and pushed the door open for me, giving me a respectful nod on the way out.

What I really wanted to do was turn around and take a last look at Sookie, but I didn't think that would be such a great idea, with her so-called "boss" standing next to her. What a creep. My gut told me he was bad news, and I could tell he held sway over her. No wonder she didn't want me around to distract her.

I was pumped up, and a deep breath of the cold night air punched it up a notch. Deflecting Victor had been fun, and spending a few stolen minutes with Sookie was even better. Maybe I was selfish to feel happy, considering I was warning her of an imminent bomb threat and major trouble with the town. But being with her, touching her, for those brief moments, had been worth the risk of dealing with Victor and his "interest" in me. I made the walk back to the Owl in record time, all the while remembering holding her hand and her soft, cool, skin.

Along with my giddiness from seeing her, I was relieved to have made it out of the bar without incident. There was no mistaking Victor's potential for causing problems for Sookie, by the way she acted around him. She was so careful and detached—she didn't want to give Victor a hint of our relationship—which made the handholding all that more exciting.

I went to the bar tonight, planning to use my telepathy to find out if the rumors were true or not. Were Sookie and her employees vampires? A little sliver of apprehension snaked through me when I thought about what I heard, or more accurately, what I hadn't heard, tonight.

Since I met Sookie, I had been ignoring the fact that I didn't hear her thoughts as I did everyone else. I thought she was different—like I was different. But, tonight at the Silver Dollar, I focused and opened my mind to listen, and I still heard nothing. Even though I touched both Sookie and Victor, I didn't hear any thoughts from either of them. Nothing. Well, maybe just a little buzz when Victor looked me in the eye, but that was all. Neither Sookie, nor Victor, had a thought pattern similar to anyone else I knew—actually, there wasn't any thought pattern I could discern at all. It was fascinating, really.

I hadn't said anything to Sookie about my telepathy yet, but I planned to, and I had a sense Victor would be very interested in what I could do, and not for altruistic reasons. He wasn't someone I wanted to mess with, and I hoped Sookie wouldn't pay for my refusal of his attentions. Thinking Sookie could be in danger not only from the town, but from Victor, brought me down a little.

I didn't have time to waste worrying about what might happen with Victor though, when the imminent danger was the bomb threat. I did what I had to and warned Sookie. I couldn't walk away now. Those creeps from the town seemed pretty determined and coordinated in their efforts, a dangerous combination. I hoped Sookie could come up with a plan, one that didn't involve anyone getting hurt, unless it was that creep, Victor.

When I arrived back at the Owl, the casino bar had cleared out, and the place was winding down for the night. The adrenalin rush from seeing Sookie had worn down by the time I got back to the hotel, and I was ready for some sleep. There wasn't anything more I could do tonight. No sense in worrying about what was going to happen tomorrow, anyway.

I checked my phone one last time for messages before I crawled into bed, then I stretched out into a comfortable position, and I let tonight's memories of Sookie fill my head. As I drifted off to sleep, and the memories turned into fantasies of what I really wanted to be doing with her, I wondered if we would ever get the chance to be alone.

^v^

There is nothing harder than getting up on a cold morning from a warm bed, but my feet hit the floor at first light. I grabbed my phone. There was a message from Sookie.

_Come to the bar tonight at 1am sharp. Go along with whatever I say. Please. Yours, S_

I read it twice, just to be sure, and then started my day, getting dressed for work at Merlotte's.

I tried to keep busy at work to make the time pass by, and I didn't see Sam until I was clocking out in the office at the end of the day. He walked into the trailer, carrying hand tools and looking worn out. Sam was usually a talkative guy, but he was quiet as he put his tools away. I puttered around the office, straightening up the magazines all over the table and shuffling through paperwork, while I waited for Sam to say something. I wondered if he knew what was going on with the bomb threat—he seemed to know everything that was happening in Battle Mountain. He would want to know Sookie was in trouble, wouldn't he? Maybe he could help her in some way.

I took a deep breath, and when I did, Sam gave me a questioning look. He finally spoke. "What's up, Eric? You look like you have something you want to say. Spit it out."

I ran my hand through my hair, and looked Sam in the eye. "Listen, you ought to know, Sookie's in trouble, there's a couple of morons in town wanting to bomb her bar, and we've got to stop it."

Sam put the rest of his tools in his locker before he said anything. When he turned around from his locker, he asked, "So you are the one who told her—how did you know?"

_What_? Had Sam been helping Sookie today? Could I trust him enough to tell my secret? Before I could decide what to do, Sam made the decision for me.

"No, never mind, I don't want to know. You are going there tonight, aren't you?"

"Yeah, later. What's she doing about the bomb threat?"

Sam rubbed at this scruffy beard, and shook his head. "Just do what she says, okay?"

At Sam's non-answer, I listened to his mind, and realized his thought pattern was different too, garbled in a way I hadn't encountered before. I could read bits and pieces from his mind, but then I had to put them together. I could do it, with some practice, but it was clear that his mind wasn't like most of the folks I knew, and it was unlike Sookie's mind "hole." Battle Mountain just kept dishing up the surprises. Since we were almost sharing information, I decided to ask him about it.

"Sam, what is going on around here? Those men, the ones threatening to bomb Sookie's bar—they say vampires run that bar. Is that true?"

Sam flopped down in a chair, unable to hide his fatigue, and it looked like my question made his head hurt, too. "Why would you even ask such a question?"

"Because something is off here—I can feel it. Even you, you seem different to me than most folks."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, that's what happens when you live in a town like Battle Mountain."

"Well, maybe, but I think there is more to it." I waited for his answer. Sam looked like he wanted to spill his guts, but then he stopped himself. I guess we both had secrets we were keeping. He looked me in the eye, and his tone was serious.

"Sookie knows what she is doing. She's been around the block a few times, you might say. Let's get through...well, let's just see what happens. Best thing you can do is follow Sookie's lead and do what she says." He paused, his face grim. "And if you can't trust her enough to do that, I suggest you get away from town, right now."

He stared at me, and I stared back. There was no doubt in my voice when I answered. "I trust her."

Sam looked relieved, and nodded his head. "Good. Now go get some rest. You could be in for a long night."

Good advice. I was sure I'd have to deal with sleazy Victor again, and whatever else the town might have in store for Sookie. A little sleep before going back to the Silver Dollar wasn't a bad idea.

I shook Sam's hand and said, "Good night then, Sam. Thanks."

He returned the handshake and patted me on the shoulder as I closed the door of the trailer on my way out to my truck. I drove the dusty road back to my room at the Owl, wondering just what Sookie had planned for the night.

^v^

I arrived back at the Owl Casino and Restaurant, and since it wasn't six o'clock yet, I peeked in the restaurant to be sure Amelia wasn't working. I really didn't want to see her, considering her friends were planning to detonate a bomb in the center of town. Maybe that wasn't fair, and she didn't know about the plan at all, but I didn't need her distracting me. I sat at the counter and ordered the meatloaf special, read the newspaper, and listened around me for anything that might help Sookie tonight. There weren't many people in the restaurant, since it was still early for the travelers to be pulling off the interstate. For now, I heard nothing out of the ordinary.

I was itching to take a quick walk to the Silver Dollar to check for anything suspicious, but I stopped myself, remembering what Sam had said to me earlier about trusting Sookie. I did trust her, but I knew that in situations like this, you could never be too prepared. Being on my own had taught me that.

In my room, I curled up on the bed, and between staying up late last night and working all day, it didn't take me long to fall asleep. I woke a few hours later, feeling refreshed, so I threw on some sweatpants and a shirt for a quick run before my shower. It was a good excuse to go outside and check up on things, plus it wouldn't hurt to get pumped up for the evening.

The streets were quiet. Everything was the same as always—cold, dark, and dusty.

I ran near the Silver Dollar on my way back to the Owl. I didn't want to get too close, but nothing looked out of place. As I circled back to the Owl, Amelia's friends, the "alleged" bombers—Arlo, I think his name was, along with the other two, were hanging around an older sedan in a dark corner of the parking lot, smoking cigarettes, and whispering. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could "hear" some of what they were thinking. I slowed my pace, cooling down from my run. I stayed out of the light from the street lamps so they didn't see me. I wasn't a fool and I knew I was outnumbered.

_Need to get out of here_

_Hope Amelia isn't working tonight_

_Won't be long_

_Don't want to be around here when those bombs go off_

_We are going to clean up this town once and for all_

_Victor better cough up the money like he said. _

Victor! Sookie's boss? There might be two Victors in town, but it seemed like a huge coincidence. Could Victor be involved with the bombing of Sookie's bar? After last night, I believed it was possible, even probable. If they knew Victor, did they know I had been at the bar last night? I kept walking toward the Owl, and by the time I was close enough for them to see me, they were piling into the sedan, their thoughts occupied with getting out of town. At least one of them, and I didn't know which one, worried about who might be killed tonight. With that confirmation, a shiver ran through me at the thought of the number of lives that could be lost if a bomb went off close to the center of town.

Anger flared in me. I was outraged by the "townies" that had so little regard for life. Pumped up from my run, I returned to my room, and hopped in a hot shower, thinking of what I should do with this new information. I had to let Sookie know Victor might be involved. A couple of different plans rolled through my head, as I got dressed.

I checked myself in the mirror one last time, and I had to admit, I looked good tonight. I wore a dress shirt and pants, instead of my usual denims, wanting to look polished for Sookie. I didn't know what might happen tonight or whom I might meet, and I didn't want to dress like one of Victor conspirators. I made sure I had my wallet and keys, and then left for the Silver Dollar Bar.

The walk to the Silver Dollar was uneventful, and the cold air kept my head clear and focused. I pushed the door to the bar open and greeted the bouncer with a nod. I took a deep breath. I'd be testing my telepathy tonight again, and nothing would be blocked from my mind, at least, not by me.

The bar wasn't very crowded for a Saturday night at one in the morning, with only about half of the tables occupied. I walked to the end of the bar where I met with Sookie last night and when Pam saw me there, she came over.

"Eric, right on time. You are going back to the office. Come on."

She led me back toward Sookie's office. I hadn't been in it since that first night, and that was pretty hazy, so I wanted to see it again. Pam rapped gently on the door, and after a minute or so, Sookie peered out. She barely looked at Pam, because her eyes were all over me. A little smile crossed her lips, and a spark lit up her eyes, before she wiped all emotions from her face in a second.

"Come in." I pushed past her into the room, purposefully brushing up against Sookie as she crowded the doorway, letting my body linger against hers ever so slightly. I knew she wouldn't react to it, but she didn't pull away, either.

The office was rearranged since the last time I was there, but all I noticed was the man sitting at the desk in the center of the room. He was a good-looking Hispanic man, impeccably dressed in a crisp white shirt and designer suit. He emitted an aura of charm and menace in equal amounts. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to get to know him or run away from him as fast as I could. Two men stood behind him, obvious guards. Victor was standing in front of the desk and I followed Sookie as she went to stand next to him

The man at the desk looked at all of us standing in front of him. He spoke quietly, but with authority.

"Who is this person?"

Victor and Sookie looked at each other. I listened with my head, and once again, didn't hear any thoughts from anyone in the room. But I didn't need to be telepathic to feel the tension and animosity between Sookie and Victor. Sookie stepped forward, and spoke.

"Felipe de Castro…Eric Northman. Eric Northman…Felipe de Castro. My boss. Eric is a friend. He comes by the bar when he is in town."

Victor snorted. " Friend? How can you be sure, Miss Stackhouse, since he can't be glamoured? Do you know what he is telling others about us? Is it your happen to make friends with those we cannot control?"

"He isn't saying anything to anybody, Victor."

She didn't look at Victor when she said it. She kept her eyes on Felipe de Castro, the mystery man requiring two bodyguards. I wondered who he really was to Sookie.

Victor didn't let it rest. "Well, sire, how can we be certain of that? He's a risk, not a friend."

"Victor, what are you implying?" de Castro made a "hurry up" gesture with his hand, and seemed bored with the entire conversation. He started shuffling the papers on the desk.

"Sire, I think you need to ask Miss Stackhouse what else she is hiding."

Sookie said nothing. She stood there, perfectly still while Victor became more agitated. de Castro glanced at me for just a second, as if he could assess the truth of Victor's words with a single glance. No one said anything more, and I waited for someone to speak. I wasn't about to stand for Victor's accusations against Sookie, so I finally broke the silence.

"She's not hiding anything, Victor. Maybe a better question is what are YOU hiding?" I looked Victor in the eye when I said it.

Felipe flipped through a report on the desk, and did not bother to look up. His tone had an edge when he said, "Who invited you to speak?"

Victor snickered. Sookie remained deathly still, her face an expressionless mask. I could read nothing from her body language, or from her head.

I was probably standing there with my mouth hanging open—the directness of that question shocked me and I had no answer for it. The words were said in a respectful manner, yet there was a tone to his voice that told me de Castro was not like Victor, in that he could be easily brushed off, and I would be wise to watch my step.

"Sire, he means no disrespect. He is not aware of our…environment." Sookie spoke in a casual, friendly manner, trying to diffuse the situation, while Victor smirked at Sookie. I thought how I could thank her later for bailing me out of that jam…if we made it through the rest of the night, which was still questionable.

"I see. Well, Eric, you did imply that Victor is hiding something, and now I have to address that."

Felipe continued to flip through the report, although it didn't look like he stopped on any one page long enough to read anything. But then he looked up at me, and his eyes locked on mine. I felt that same buzz I felt last night when Victor looked at me like that. When I turned my head to look at Sookie, Victor snorted.

"See, I told you he can't be glamoured. Why would you believe her or her pet now? She's the one that is lying."

Victor danced around like a petulant child, angry because de Castro wasn't taking his word for Sookie's alleged deceptions.

"Because I'm finding your behavior tonight amusing, Victor, I'm feeling a little generous." Felipe gave me that same look Victor gave me last night. His eyes raked over me and I didn't know if he was sizing me up for sex or considering ways to kill me. My stomach did a little flip and I suddenly had the feeling I was in over my head. I took a deep breath to stop a second wave from rolling through me.

"Victor, go out to the bar and get us some drinks. Eric—what would you like?"

I tried not to act surprised at his hospitality. "A beer would be fine, thank you."

"Now run along, and get the drinks for us. Sookie and Eric…you stay. I will let you know when to return to the office, Victor."

Felipe waited for the door to close and then he turned to me again, giving me his full attention.

"Eric—explain your comment about Victor."

Carefully, because I didn't want to get Sookie in trouble with this guy, I explained what I knew. I gave no specifics. "I overheard some of the town's residents talking about Victor financing a bomb threat against Sookie's bar."

He then turned to Sookie. "And what did you know about this Sookie?"

She answered him in that same casual tone she used a moment ago. "I've heard rumors about bombs from time to time, but never anything about Victor being involved."

"So, do you believe what your _friend_ says about Victor?"

Sookie was so cool when she answered. "I would consider it a possibility until proven otherwise."

Felipe looked at her sideways. "Hmm... so what should I do about this?"

In a very professional, unemotional voice, Sookie replied. "I think you should leave the bar, just in case. I suggest you leave discreetly through the rear entrance."

Felipe didn't contemplate long before he looked at one of the bodyguards and gave him a silent signal. The guard left the office, acting as point man, and Felipe followed. The remaining bodyguard stepped in line right behind Felipe. Sookie followed behind him and me behind her.

My heart swelled. She maneuvered Felipe out of the bar, using the bomb threat. I still didn't know what she was going to do about that, but I was impressed with what she just did to get de Castro out of the way. Now what was she going to do with Victor? And the bomb?

Felipe de Castro stepped outside and into the limousine waiting at the door before we were even down the hallway to the back door. Suddenly, Sookie turned around and grabbed my arm, pulling me to the floor. Then there was a god-awful sound, so loud, so close…so jarring.

I couldn't move because something was holding me down. A cloud of dust engulfed the hallway, and then dirt pelted me like rain, heavy drops of rock and debris, mixed with a dusty drizzle. The dust choked off my breath.

A sharp pain bit into my side, and I fought against it. I could feel my strength seeping from my body as everything faded to black, and then I was lifted into the sky. Dying wasn't anything like I thought it would be.

* * *

A/N: Well, that chapter may have left you with just as many questions as answers, and I promise you will find out what happened before Eric arrived at the Silver Dollar. Who survives the explosion? For the answer to that question, you'll have to wait until next chapter! As always, your comments are welcomed.


	10. Chapter 10

The characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I'm just having some fun with them.

As always, thanks to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth. She always makes time to look at my stories, and I appreciate her talents from the bottom of my heart. *hugs*

Any mistakes you may find are all my own.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

_Faster. Faster_. I was flying low across the desert as fast as I could, but I had to go faster. Eric was in my arms, unconscious, and his injuries were critical. He needed my blood. _Now_. His body was growing colder by the minute, and I wasn't sure if that was because of how fast we were flying in the night air or whether he was about to succumb to his injuries. I pushed that last thought right out of my head.

My safe house was in an old abandoned mine on Sam Merlotte's property. The entrance was hidden among the sand dunes and obscured by tumbleweeds and sagebrush. There were no roads to get there. No one, not even Pam, knew its location. Sam knew I had a place somewhere on his property, but he didn't ask, and I didn't tell.

I landed at the entryway of the deserted mine in a matter of minutes after the explosion at the bar. The mine shaft was too narrow to fly through once we were inside, so I would have to carry Eric the rest of the way. There was very little blood, but he was barely breathing, and I knew I had to move quickly if I wanted to save his human life.

Even though I had covered Eric with my body right before the bombs went off, a sizable piece of my bar impaled his side, like a vampire-staking that missed its mark. _Hold on, Eric. Just a little longer. _He groaned, just a little noise, as if he had heard my thoughts and wanted to say he was doing his best to stay alive. I tried not to jostle him too much, worried that any movement would dislodge the stake and cause him to bleed out.

I moved as quickly as I could, carrying Eric down the mine shaft to my secret sanctuary. The room contained the essentials—a bed, oil lamps, clothes, blankets, books, weapons, and anything else I might need if I was forced into hiding. I placed Eric gently on the bed in the center of the room. I lit the oil lamp on the table next to the bed so I could get a good look at his wounds. Eric's breath wheezed in and out in an uneven rhythm, and the sound echoed in the underground room.

The three inch wide piece of wood was stuck in Eric's left side, at the bottom of his rib cage. I didn't know how long the makeshift stake was or how far it invaded his body, but there was no doubt he was seriously injured. I assumed there was massive internal bleeding and possible organ damage, possibly even organ failure. His skin was as pale as a vampire, and even with my enhanced hearing and the quiet of our underground location, I could barely hear his heartbeat. My grand plan to stop Victor caused this tragedy.

I wanted to cry, but I was never a quitter. I pushed those self-destructive thoughts aside, and focused on what I needed to do. I had to try to save him…or consider other options.

If I pulled the stake, he would undoubtedly bleed out before I could stop it. I could try and get him to drink my blood, to heal some of his injuries, but with the stake still in his body, it might make things worse. I didn't know what to do first.

Another change in his breathing reminded me that I didn't have time to debate this any longer.

I put my arm under his shoulders and raised his head before I bit into my wrist. Working carefully around the stake, I brought my wrist to his lips. The blood dribbled down his chin and onto his shirt, none of it going in his mouth where I needed it. I tried again without luck.

I would have to lay him down flat, and use my free hand to work his mouth to get the blood down his throat. I lay him back down on the mattress and repositioned myself. It took only a second to try getting the blood in him this way, and it seemed like some of it did find its way down his throat, because his breathing evened out some, and it wasn't as wheezy as before. I wasn't done yet.

The stake had to come out before I could give him any more blood. I stood on the right side of the bed and draped myself over him, face down. My pelvis rested on his at a right angle, holding him down so I could keep him from thrashing about when I removed the stake, and my mouth was close to the wound. I planned to pull out the stake as quickly as possible, and then lick the wound closed, hoping the anticoagulant in my fangs would seal the hole before he bled out. I took but a second to prepare myself for what I was about to do.

Eric's screams when I touched the stake for the first time almost made me stop.

_Just do it._ With my left hand positioned to put pressure on the wound once the stake was out, I grabbed it firmly with my right hand. I ignored the screams coming from him. The stake resisted, as if his body didn't want to give it up. I pulled harder to break the suction that kept it in place, and with one final jerk, the stake came free. It fell to the floor, and blood gushed from the wound. I used my left hand to try and stem the flow, but it was coming fast, as if a dam inside of him had broken. With a quick movement, I sealed my mouth over the damage, lapping up the blood, willing the anticoagulant in my fangs to do its job.

When the flow of blood from the hole slowed, I stood up and listened for his heartbeat. He hadn't made a sound since the stake came out. There was blood everywhere, on the floor and covering me and Eric. I wondered how much of it he had left to lose. His shallow breathing echoed faintly in the mine shaft, a constant reminder he wasn't out of the woods yet. Nevertheless, when I inspected his wound, it had closed, the edges of his skin almost completely knitted together. There was just a trickle of blood running from it.

I picked up the stake and looked at it before I threw it into a corner. It was 10 inches long, and three inches thick. Six inches of it had been in his body. There was no doubt Eric's internal organs had been compromised. His skin was turning gray now, and his breath was becoming barely perceptible, even in the quiet. I looked at his beautiful face, contorted with pain even in his unconscious state, and I wanted to cry. I stroked his hair and his cheek, trying to bring some comfort to him. He had tried to help me – he didn't deserve to die like this.

I thought about taking him to the human hospital, but I didn't think he would survive the trip.

I thought about turning him, but without his consent, my conscience wouldn't let me, as much as I wanted to keep him. It wouldn't be right. There was no way in hell I could take care of a new vampire, with all of this mess with Victor and Felipe.

As gently as possible, I unbuttoned Eric's bloody shirt, and eased his arms from it. I wanted to wash him, but the water was cold, and I couldn't risk it. I placed my hand on his heart, and felt its slow, irregular beat, telling me the end was near.

How differently I had envisioned my time with him—I had thought of laughter, love and companionship, not bloody stakes and final solitude. I wanted him to love me. I stroked down his arm, taking his beautiful hand into mine, and I couldn't keep the tears away any longer. They ran down my face, and the more I wiped them away, the harder they fell.

I removed his shoes and socks while I cried, and when I was done, I wiped my face and tried to finish what I started. Being very careful around his wound, I removed his blood soaked pants, trying not to move him too much. The sounds he made when I moved him gave me a tiny spark of hope.

Once his bloody clothes were off, I stripped out of mine, and retrieved some blankets from the storage chest at the foot of the bed. I climbed into the bed with him, cradling his cool body against mine, and wrapped the blankets around us. I held him close, and a sigh escaped his lips as he molded himself to me. His bare skin against mine was heart-wrenching and wonderful, all at the same time.

It was an hour before dawn, and I was exhausted. The cold night air crept into the mine, and I hugged Eric closer to me, wishing I had some body heat of my own to give him. I couldn't tell in the flickering light of the oil lamp if his skin color had improved, but his breathing seemed stronger and more regular, although a bit raspy. I thought it sounded better, and I hoped that wasn't just wishful thinking.

Just before dawn, Eric's eyelids fluttered, and I watched for signs he was regaining consciousness. He struggled with himself, his face showing the effort he expended. Finally, he gave up trying. I felt the tears welling up again.

I couldn't let him die. I just couldn't. _Try one more time._ I nestled him against my body, his back against my chest, and I bit into my wrist again. I put it to his mouth, and stroked his hair gently with my right hand, while I whispered to him.

"Drink, Eric. Please don't leave me yet. Hang on a little longer and let my blood heal you. That's good, that's it...drink…please don't go."

His lips moved at my wrist, ever so slowly. His tongue reached out when his lips became too tired.

"That's good. A little more. Please, please, stay with me…"

He didn't have much strength to drink, but at least when he stopped I knew he got some more of my blood in him. Eric settled into my arms and I held him to me, pressing a kiss on his forehead as dawn took me under.

* * *

As always, thank you for your support of this story, and please do feel free to leave me a comment, if you have the time. *hugs* tm


	11. Chapter 11

Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm just having some fun.

Hugs to my remarkable beta, Kristin Elizabeth, who found time to beta this chapter even though she has lots of important real life stuff is on her plate this week! Thanks, my friend!

To my readers: Thank you for being patient with me. I had a little tussle with Eric and Sookie over this chapter—they both wanted to tell the story. It went on for days. The Sheriff won.

And now a little pimping…Do you read or write fanfic? The Age of Eric Contest is accepting entries! (remove the spaces in the URL...you know the drill)

Details are at http: / theageoferic .blogspot .com/

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Chapter 11

**Sookie POV**

I heard his quiet breathing and felt his warm breath on my skin before I opened my eyes. Eric was alive. He had made it through the day, and I could sense my blood healing him from the inside out. He slept peacefully beside me, his breathing steady. I brushed his hair back from his face, and then followed a trail down his neck, across his shoulder and lower to his wound. He flinched a little, but all that remained was a rough scar.

As I came out of my daytime slumber, the hunger hit.

_Feed._

Sudden bloodlust burned in my gut, and the need to satisfy my hunger was strong. I tore my eyes away from watching the beating pulse in Eric's throat, and realized I wanted more than his blood—I craved his warm, deep kisses and the promise of more. The feel of his bare skin against mine stoked the fire in my belly for his blood and his body.

His hard length pressed against me, and when I moved, he inched closer, his body seeking mine. I felt the hard, muscular, contours of his body under his smooth skin. His scent lingered in the air around us—his unique signature—even the smells of the bar and bomb could not erase it. I imagined him taking me, and a tingle of pleasure ignited between my legs and ripped through me like electricity.

As much as I wanted to stay right there and satisfy myself, I had to get out of this bed before I fucked him, and then drained him.

My head and heart battled each other, one side demanding I satisfy my lust, the other committed to protecting him at all costs. My need to safeguard this human won over all my baser emotions, and I gently extricated myself from his arms, sliding out of the bed without disturbing him. I lit a few candles around the room, so Eric wouldn't wake in total darkness. It was doubtful he would know where he was after last night's trauma.

I rummaged around in the wardrobe and found a pair of yoga pants to wear. I put them on, and then searched for my cell phone. There was work to do.

I could feel my phone in my jacket and as I pulled it from the pocket, I heard Eric moving about.

"Sookie? Is that you?"

I smiled at the sound of his voice, and felt relief again after thinking him almost dead last night. He was awake, cocooned in the covers, watching me move around the room. I approached the bed, and I couldn't stop smiling at him.

"Hi there. You gave me a good scare last night. You okay?"

"Where are we?"

"We're in an old abandoned mine on Sam Merlotte's property. I brought you here last night. It's a safe place."

I could see Eric's hand fingering his side under the covers and when he found the tender spot, he threw off the blanket. He twisted around to look at the bruised, scarred flesh and when he was finished, he stared at me. I waited for an onslaught of questions when I saw his bewildered expression.

"There was an explosion at your bar. I remember…being down on the ground, and not much after that. How can..."

He touched his side again. "How can this be, Sookie? I remember feeling pain here, and now I'm all healed up. Wounds that size don't heal overnight. How long have I been here?."

Eric swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. He rubbed his eyes and tried to stand. He swayed a little, and steadied himself by pressing his legs against the bed. I was afraid he might fall if he tried to walk, and I moved closer, putting my arm around him to help him stand.

"Take it easy, you might be a little wobbly." Once he was standing on his own and took a few steps, I continued. "I can explain…but maybe you want to get cleaned up first? I've got a bathroom of sorts down here—let me take you there."

"Okay, but I need some answers, Sookie." His eyes met mine. "Now, where are we going?"

I grabbed a flashlight from the table by the bed and put my arm around Eric. He responded by snaking his arm around me, his hand low on my hip. He held me close, and although I held him up, for some reason, I felt protected by him. Maybe it was because we protected each other over the last few days.

As we walked, Eric regained his balance and strength, but still kept his arm around me. After a short walk, the flashlight illuminated another underground space containing a gravity shower in one corner and a brand new portable mining latrine in the other. I flipped the switch on a battery-operated light sitting on a little shelf by the door.

"It's not much, and the water is cold, but you can at least wash up. There are some towels over there, and a new toothbrush in that cabinet right next to the towels. I have to go outside to check my phone messages, I can't get a signal down here—and then we'll talk. I'll answer whatever you want to know."

Eric looked at me and the air was thick with apprehension, as if we both knew there would be no turning back after our little question and answer session. But then he shrugged it off, and looked around the space.

"Okay. I'll see you back in that other room then."

"You sure you're steady enough? Do you want me to stay? I can wait outside."

I didn't want to leave him. Any forward movement brought the moment of truth closer and as much as I knew the time had come, the chance I could lose what we had right now paralyzed me. What if he couldn't handle the truth? What would I do then?

"Yeah, I'm good. Go do what you have to." When I hesitated, Eric pulled me to him with a gentle tug of my arm. He pressed the lightest of kisses on my lips, reminding me of how much I wanted him. Then he pulled me to him, and he whispered in my ear, his breath a warm caress. "Go on now…I'll be fine."

I kissed him back, and did what he said.

Once outside the mine, I checked my cell. I had a good signal, and full battery power. First order of business was checking for messages from Clancy, Pam, and Bill. There were no messages, but I really wasn't expecting any so soon. Pam had been in the hallway behind Eric when the bomb went off. Bill and Clancy were in the bar, and all three had flak jackets on under their clothes. Between that protection and their ability to self-heal their injuries, I thought they had a good chance of survival. Maybe they had to go to ground in an inconvenient place, and it was just past sundown. I knew from experience it was too early to be worried.

No messages from my vampires also meant there was no update from Battle Mountain, and it wasn't safe to go to town until I knew the consequences of the bombing. The bar was probably totaled anyway. I closed the phone and headed back to my safe room, planning to come back later in the night to check again.

I had avoided the conversation with Eric as long as I could.

When I returned to the sleeping room, he sat on the bed, his hair wet and finger-combed, wearing only the briefs he woke up in this morning. The pile of bloody clothes at his feet suggested the extent of his injuries, and the piece of wood sitting on top of the pile, still covered with his blood, confirmed them.

He picked up the wood and turned it around in his hands a few times.

I stood in front of him and didn't say a word.

He shook his head in disbelief. "Tell me, Sookie. Tell me how I survived this." When he looked up at me, I expected anger and accusation, rather than the expression of curiosity, and dare I say, gratitude on his face.

I looked into his blue eyes, and I saw a crossroads in my undead existence. Would that curiosity change to something else when he found out the truth? Would he accept me…or despise me? Would I fall back into the pit of my mundane life if he spurned me now? And worst of all, could I take the appropriate measures to protect myself if he rejected me? My stomach lurched at the thought.

Eric kept his eyes on me, waiting. Like a coward, I examined the floor while I collected my thoughts—I didn't have the guts to look him in the eye as I framed a response in my head and anticipated his reaction. He must have gotten tired of waiting, because after a while, he reached out and grabbed my trembling hands, warming them with his. In a soft voice, he said it again. "Tell me, Sookie."

There was only one thing to say, and one thing to do. I looked him in the eye. My voice was shaky when I answered.

"Eric, I am not human. I am a vampire. You survived because I healed you with my blood."

Eric stared at me, but he didn't let go of my hands. I had expected some reaction, and he just sat there. I didn't know what to think.

When he finally let my hands go and looked away, I was sure I had lost him. My dreams of companionship with Eric were crushed—he wasn't going to accept me as a vampire. My bar was gone, maybe my friends, and now Eric. My heart didn't beat, but it sure felt battered, and the dread in my belly felt like the rock that did the damage.

But then he put his hands on my waist and pulled me between his legs, wrapping his arms around me. When he hugged me, it took a minute to register that he wasn't pushing me away. My arms went around him naturally, as if they knew their place.

"I'd be dead if it wasn't for you. Thank you, Sookie." I could barely hear him, his voice choked with emotion. I leaned down and rested my cheek on the top of his head. We stayed like that for a while, embracing each other. I think if I had been human, I might have cried with relief.

His arms stayed around my waist, but he pulled back and looked up at me. I reached down and rested my hand on his cheek, and he leaned into it, briefly closing his eyes.

But we weren't finished with this conversation.

"Show me."

Tension crackled in the air. To lighten the mood, I gave him my best grin, pulling my lips off my fangs so he could get the full effect. A soft laugh came out of him, and the tension was gone.

"You bit me the first night we met, didn't you?" His eyebrows rose.

"Yes." I answered quietly. I wasn't proud that I drank enough from him to make him pass out, and really didn't want to get into an explanation.

"Did I taste good?" He turned me so I was sitting on his lap, my arm around his shoulders.

It was my turn to laugh, just a little. "Yes…delicious, actually." I whispered as he moved his lips closer to mine.

"Good. Can I kiss you now? I'm not sure how kissing works with the fangs and all."

I should have kept my mouth shut and just kissed him, but I had to know. "Are you sure you are okay with this…us?"

He threaded his hand in my hair and pulled me closer. He started out slowly, gently pressing his lips to mine, just teasing my lips with his tongue. I let him in, an open invitation for more. Soon we were kissing like we did that first night, although he avoided my fangs. I could have retracted them, but I was too turned on for one, and I wanted Eric to see the real me. With each kiss, we clung to each other, soft moans of delight filling the cavernous space. When he finally touched the tips of my fangs with his tongue, I shuddered and clutched him to me.

Eric didn't stop. His lips traveled to my throat and the touch of his warmth on my skin was almost too much for me to take. He continued his kissing exploration and made a path of soft kisses along my jaw line to behind my ear.

"No one knows this place? We're alone? No interruptions?" He whispered in my ear.

His questions held the promise of pleasure.

I kissed him… "Alone," and kissed him again, "no interruptions".

He kissed me back, and then grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. He unhooked my bra with one hand, and pulled it off with the other. Eric didn't take his eyes from my bare breasts. The peaks were already tight and looking for attention, and he teased them with his thumb, using just enough pressure to make me want more. When he put his lips on one, then the other, I tangled my hand in his hair and arched into him, moaning with pleasure. His other hand found its way between my thighs.

I had fantasized about Eric every night this past week, and the reality was so much better than the fantasy—every touch reinforcing the connection between us.

In one quick move, he had me off his lap and on the bed. He hovered above me, and I looked at him with anticipation. I ran my hands down his sculpted chest, and then pulled him down to me, feeling his skin against mine.

He kissed me again, and his body pressed me down into the bed, our legs entwined. The weight of his body felt good to me, masculine and commanding. His heavy thigh pressed between my legs and while we kissed, my hands roamed his body, feeling the smooth, powerful muscles in his arms and back. His hips swiveled toward mine, and I felt his hard arousal. My own hips rose to meet his.

Eric nipped at my neck, and then drew the skin between his lips, caressing it with his tongue before moving to the next sensitive spot.

It felt so good. His name slipped off my tongue as I gasped with pleasure.

He chuckled low in his throat, as if he was proud of himself, and continued to nip and lick along my collarbone. His bite was more erotic than gentle. He never drew blood, even though I really wanted him to. With every nibble, the sweet pain tingled through my body, until I throbbed. I ached for him.

Eric rolled onto his back, taking me with him, putting me in position to tease him now—only I had fangs. I ran the tips up his neck, knowing instinctively the location of all his most sensitive spots. Soon he was moaning with every scrape, his head thrown back. The blood in his throat pulsed in time with my own desire.

With a growl, Eric wrapped his arms around me and had me on my back, and suddenly he wasn't taking his time any longer. He rose up on his knees and pulled off my yoga pants. The sight of my little red panties slowed him down a little, and he took his time pulling the silky fabric down my legs.

He yanked down his briefs, and his beautiful cock stood proud and erect, ready to find its home. His lips and body crashed into mine, skin to skin, touching… all over…our hands, our bodies, our tongues, our sex, in a heated frenzy that had us both craving more. When his fingers dipped past my golden curls and into my slick juices, a shudder rolled through him.

"Oh Sookie, I can't wait any longer. I promise I'll go slow next time…but, I want you now..." he rasped in my ear.

I didn't want to wait either. I was his to take, and I wanted to be taken.

And when he did, it was unlike any other sex I had known. There was a connection, something binding us together that went beyond the physical act of sex—there was an intimacy about it I had never experienced before. The glorious friction took me to the shattering edge, making me greedy. I wanted more, harder, and faster. My fangs throbbed, enticed by the touch of his skin and the warm blood flowing beneath. As I felt my release building, I grabbed his glorious bottom and held his hips to mine, increasing the friction of his strokes. With an instinctive hiss, my fangs went to his throat, and I exploded with pleasure, riding out the waves of bliss with deep pulls of his luscious blood.

He groaned with his own release when my fangs breached his skin. It was all so incredible, the ineffable pleasure. I could barely think. I closed my eyes to savor the sensations. I felt his lips on my shoulder and when he bit and sucked blood from the wound he made, I came again. By the time the little wound closed, Eric relaxed and rolled to his side. I immediately missed his warm body.

Once he caught his breath, his arms went around me pulling me close.

"That was wild, Sookie. I didn't know it would be like that."

"Me neither."

He fingered the spot on my shoulder where he bit. The skin was smooth and completely healed.

Then he touched his own neck, and he could feel the bite marks there.

"Watch." I pierced my index finger on the tip of my fang and waited for a drop of blood to accumulate. I rubbed the blood gently in to the little wounds on his neck.

"All gone."

He lifted his hand and felt around. The marks were gone.

"So what else can your blood do?" He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Well, vampire blood can enhance your senses…and keep you from getting sick…increase your libido…" I kissed him gently on the lips.

"Hmm…that doesn't sound so bad." He paused for a minute. "But...won't drinking your blood turn me into a vampire?"

"No, that's a different." I looked away, hoping he wouldn't pursue this. It wasn't that I didn't want to tell him how humans were turned; I just didn't want to spoil this moment.

"And when you drink my blood…what does that do for you?" He played with my hair while he waited for my answer.

"I need human blood to live and to heal. Not a lot, but some." I ran my hand down his perfect chest.

"So that's why you bit me that first night?"

I stopped what I was doing, and my eyes met his.

"No…that was for…pleasure."

His broad smile reassured me. I didn't mind the questions, because clearly he was trying to understand my life. I couldn't remember the last time I had a conversation like this.

"That's why I bit you tonight…I had a feeling you wanted me to." Even though there were no marks, his fingers caressed the spot where he bit me.

"I did want you to…and it was wonderful." I brushed my thumb across his lower lip, and then I placed a gentle kiss there.

He took my kiss as an invitation for more, and we kissed for a while before we relaxed in each other's arms. After the events of the last few days, I welcomed the quiet calm. But it also gave me time to think about Pam, Clancy, and Bill, and I knew I had to check my cell phone again.

"Eric, I have to go back outside and check my messages. I'll be right back." I got up from the bed and looked for my clothes.

"No, I'll go with you. You wouldn't by any chance have something around here for me to wear? I don't think I can put those back on." He gestured to the pile of bloody clothes on the floor.

I picked my yoga pants and t-shirt off the floor, and sat on the edge of the bed to get dressed. "Well, as a matter of fact, I might have some men's sweats around here somewhere."

Eric gave me a questioning look, but didn't say anything.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just wondering why you have men's clothes here." His little smirk gave away the fact he was teasing me.

"Jealous, already?" I checked the wardrobe in the corner and found a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. There were even some sweat socks in the drawer. When I turned around to toss them to Eric, he was right behind me.

He put his hands on my shoulders and in a very serious voice, he said, "You are mine, Sookie. I don't want to share you—with anyone."

I pushed the pile of clothes into his chest, and smiled. "I feel the same way about you. Now get dressed. You can't go outside naked at this time of night."

We dressed in silence, and when I was done, I grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler. I handed it to Eric as we walked up the incline to the outside world.

The night was crisp and cool, and the sky filled with stars. Being so far from the city, more of the smaller stars were visible in the night sky.

I opened my cell phone and felt relieved when I saw the message symbol on the screen. It was a text from Clancy, which didn't surprise me. If I had to bet on anyone surviving the blast in the bar, it would be him.

**Bar is gone. No sign of Bill or Pam 313-444-6656.**

Even though I was glad Clancy survived, I frowned. Although it was still too early to worry about Bill and Pam, I wouldn't relax until I knew what happened to them. They just had to be all right. I closed my phone and slipped it into my pocket without a word.

Eric came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. He held me for a moment and then said quietly, "Everything okay, Sookie?"

I leaned back into him; very glad I wasn't alone tonight.

"Clancy checked in. Still no word from Bill or Pam."

Eric didn't say anything at all. His silence comforted me—I really didn't want to answer any more questions tonight. We stood there for a while, looking at the stars. And in spite of knowing there was still a good chance Pam and Bill got out of the bar intact, I wished they had checked in already.

My business was in ruins, and as my thoughts spiraled downward, I reminded myself I should be grateful I still walked the earth and Eric was alive. I wondered if Victor survived. I reached back in my pocket for the phone and dialed the number Clancy left for me.

He answered on the second ring.

"Any word on our visitors?" I asked.

"No, nothing either way. Have you heard from the others?" I knew he meant Bill and Pam.

"No, not yet. I'll call tomorrow."

I disconnected the call and looked at the horizon. It would be dawn in a few hours.

"Come on, Eric. Let's go inside."

We walked silently back to the safe room. My thoughts were full of hatred for Victor's disruption of our lives here in Battle Mountain. I knew there was only one solution to the problem.

_I'm going to kill Victor myself. _

Eric's voice shook me from my thoughts. "And I'm going to help you, Sookie."

"Help me what, Eric?"

"Kill Victor."

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Thanks so much for reading and your comments are always welcomed. *hugs* tm


	12. Chapter 12

**The Cold Before Dawn: Chapter 12**

The characters aren't mine. They belong to Charlaine Harris. I promise to treat them with the respect they deserve, unlike some producers.

Thank you for your patience with this story. I've had a full dose of real life lately, but you should know that I won't leave you hanging too long if I can help it, and I will always finish a story that I started.

Smooches and hugs to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth. Any mistakes in this are all mine!

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**Eric POV**

_I'm going to kill Victor myself. _

"And I'm going to help you, Sookie." Before I realized what I had done, the words tumbled out of my mouth. One look at Sookie and I knew my secret was out. Tension crackled in the air and I braced myself for her questions.

"Help me what, Eric?" Sookie asked, her voice challenging me while her eyes drilled into mine. From her tone, she was surprised, and probably trying to remember what else I might have heard from her thoughts. That was what most people did when they realized I could hear what they were thinking.

"Kill Victor." I answered, as if plotting to kill someone was something I did every day. Pretending that I hadn't heard her thoughts seemed like a good strategy to me.

Sookie stared at me, her body held in a hard line. Yeah, she was pissed and not about to let this go. I silently cursed myself for my own slip-up. How could I know that her thoughts would suddenly come in so clearly? I hadn't heard them before, so why did I suddenly start now?

After everything that happened this last week between us, I had let my guard down, thinking she would accept me as being "different", especially after she revealed her own secret. Sookie's reaction, or lack of it, worried me—maybe this wasn't going to go as well as I hoped.

Her silence and her demeanor unnerved me, and I waited for her to ask me how I knew what she was thinking. I fidgeted with some of the supplies on the shelves around the perimeter of the room when the tension became too much. Her thoughts were blank now, and I couldn't hear anything from her—had it all just been a one-time thing? A fluke? Another try and I wondered if she could actually be blocking me.

"Say something, Sookie."

"Who sent you here, Eric?" Her tone was cold and clipped, and the abrupt change from a few minutes ago shattered me.

"Sookie, what are you talking about? No one sent me here… why would you think something like that?" I couldn't keep the sharpness and disappointment from my voice. It hurt that she thought I was here for any reason other than her.

"You show up days before Felipe and Victor and their little census project and the bombing of my bar. What do you expect me to think—now that I know your little secret? Do you work for them or for someone else?" Her expressionless face belied the anger I could feel coming from her, and a trickle of fear at being caught alone with an angry vampire snaked through me.

Her accusatory reaction ripped through me, leaving me raw. "I don't work for anyone, and I don't understand why you are acting like this." Folks were mostly embarrassed to learn I could hear their thoughts—they didn't usually think it was part of some sort of conspiracy.

"You expect me to believe this is all a coincidence?" She turned her head away. "I have been such a fool." She said under her breath, shaking her head. Then she asked again, her tone resigned and not as hard. "Who do you work for, Eric? Is it Felipe?"

"Believe what you want to, Sookie. I don't work for anyone." I repeated, almost shouting it at her. Didn't she trust me after everything we had been through?

"I want to believe you, Eric. I really do…" she said, but I knew her suspicions would win.

"No, you don't want the truth, because if you did, you'd give me a chance to explain instead of accusing me of whatever you think I did. I didn't hear your thoughts before tonight. I hate it – hearing that chatter in my head. But I didn't hear you, so I could relax around you, and the only reason I stayed in town was because I _liked_ you. You are beautiful, and sexy and smart…and I was attracted to you enough to want to stay and give it a try. I thought that was what you wanted too. Believe me or not, that is the truth. And since you didn't trust me enough to ask me before you jumped to conclusions, maybe it's best I go."

I looked around to grab my belongings, but what was there to take with me? A pile of bloody clothes? There was nothing to take with me. Better to learn now it wouldn't work out. I wasn't about to stay here with Sookie's new attitude toward me.

By the time I reached the doorway, Sookie blocked my exit. She moved so fast, I couldn't believe it…must be another vampire attribute she neglected to mention. Guess I wasn't the only one keeping secrets.

"Don't go." The way she said it was more of a command, than a request.

"Why not? You don't believe me, and you don't trust me. Why would you want me to stay? I'm part of some big plot, right?" I could feel my anger rising again, so I took a breath to temper it. I wasn't just angry either; I was mad at myself for thinking this could work and most of all, hurt that she couldn't just ask me. My next shot came from that hurtful place. "Oh wait; I know why you want me to stay—you don't want to lose your dinner, do you?"

Her response wasn't angry or loud. "That's a cheap shot, Eric. I am in a world of shit here with Felipe and Victor. My people are missing. My bar is gone. Everything is a mess. I do not know who is coming after me next. You don't know what it's like to live in my world."

I might not know her world, but I did know she should have given me a chance to explain before thinking the worst.

"Oh, so the first thing you do is assume I'm the one out to get you? Less than 24 hours ago you saved my life, now you think I'm involved in some plot against you?" I shook my head and tried to push past her. All I wanted to do was get out of there. Knowing Sookie could not accept or trust me was like a knife in my gut.

Sookie grabbed me by the shoulders and I couldn't move. Her strength caught me by surprise, and I focused on her then, instead of how much I wanted to run. Even though she held me in an iron grip, her face was soft and her voice, close to pleading. "Please, Eric. I'm sorry, but you surprised me, and I don't know what to think."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that I was sent here by someone to spy on you. Trusting me would be a good start. Letting me explain would be good, too."

Her voice softened. "You are right. I overreacted. I did not give you a chance. Please don't go. Let's start this conversation over again." Her hands were still on my shoulders, but instead of restraining me, Sookie stroked her hands down my arms and took my hands in hers. Her tender gesture drained the anger from me, and it wasn't long before I pulled her to me. In spite of what just went on between us, I couldn't help myself.

"I'm sorry, Eric." She whispered in my ear, as her arms went around my neck. I felt the tension in her body leave when I tightened my arms around her. Something inside started to mend, and I ignored the hairline cracks that remained where her suspicions had damaged the trust between us. I wanted to think we could rebuild that.

I held her close, and whispered back to her. "I guess that was our first fight, huh? Maybe we should kiss and make up."

She pulled back so she could see my face, and a worried expression tightened her face. But her features relaxed when I smiled at her, and our lips met in a gentle kiss. I held her tight against me, her body molding to mine in our embrace. We stayed that way for a while, without talking, trying to put the bad words and accusations behind us.

"So you can read my mind." She said, a statement of fact, not a question.

"I heard you say you wanted to kill Victor. I thought you said it aloud. I couldn't hear you until just now, as I told you. Most people I have heard all my life, but every now and then, I get someone I can't read. I thought that was why I didn't hear anything from you when we met. But after, I realized that, I didn't hear _anyone _at the bar that night. It was so nice—the quiet—I didn't want to question it."

Suddenly the truth came to me.

"So you weren't the only vampire in the bar that night, the others I couldn't hear were vampires too, right? And Felipe and Victor—what are they, the head vamps?"

"Yes, to both your questions. Was that all you ever heard from me? That I wanted to kill Victor? Nothing else?"

" That was all, Sookie, I swear. I don't _want_ to hear you. I don't want to hear anyone."

"Is that how you knew about the bombing?"

"Yes, I heard them talking about it in the bar the night I warned you, and I heard them implicate Victor the night the bomb went off."

"Does anyone else in town know about this? About what you can do?"

"No, it's not something I go around talking about. Let me ask you something, though. Are you blocking me somehow? Because I can't hear anything from you now. It's strange, really. Like there is a wall there."

And then I heard her again, clear as if the words came from her mouth and not her head. _If anyone finds out about this, Eric is a dead man… or worse…_

"Well, then we won't tell anyone, Sookie." I raised my eyebrows and smiled, but Sookie didn't think it was very funny.

"I wish you wouldn't do that…it's rude."

"So you can block it then? One minute I couldn't hear you then the next you are coming in clear as if you are talking to me. Maybe it's the blood. How much did you give me?"

"You've had my blood three times now. Twice with your injuries from the bombing and earlier when we were in bed. And yes, it appears I can block you from hearing my thoughts, too."

"Well, that's good then. And what did you mean… I'm a dead man or worse?"

The wall that kept me from hearing her was firmly back in place.

"Someone could use you for your talents, Eric. Force you to help them. Turn you. Imprison you. I can't let that happen. I _won't_ let that happen to you."

I didn't have to be a mind reader to know what she was thinking now.

"I'm not leaving you, Sookie. I know I said I was going to earlier, but I was angry. I'm not afraid, and I'm staying with you. Don't even think about sending me away."

She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped as if she suddenly remembered something important. She took my hand.

"Eric, dawn is coming. Do you understand what is going to happen now?" She said, her voice was soft and gentle, and touched off a ripple of pleasure in me.

"What do you mean?" I matched her tone, and hoped she wanted to do more than just kiss and make up.

"I rest during the daytime hours. It's like a very deep sleep. I can feel the sunrise coming, and I won't rise until the sun goes down."

She took my hand and kissed me. When I came up for air, we were standing next to the bed. Her shields were completely down, and her thoughts called to me, igniting a fire.

_Come rest with me. Wrap your warm body around mine, and talk to me until the sun comes up. Hold me while I rest. Eric, don't leave me._

Her smooth, silky voice in my head rippled through me, warming my blood and making me forget everything that had transpired in the last hour. She lifted my shirt over my head, and ran her fingertips across my chest before she removed hers. I ran my hand across the lace bra she wore, and she uttered a low sound from deep in her throat as I gently eased the thin straps from her shoulders. Her beautiful breasts filled my hands, and my thumbs sought out her stiff peaks and pebbled edges as her arms circled my waist.

_Rest with me, Eric._

She reached up and put her arms around my neck, pulling me into a searing kiss that left me wanting more. I pulled the string of her yoga pants, and they fell to her ankles. She lifted her feet and kicked them aside as her hands went to my waist. I pulled my lips from hers, breaking the kiss to catch my breath and yank down my sweatpants.

With her sweet words in my head, and her cool body pressed to me, I ached to be closer, to be inside her, to make her mine. She closed her hand around me, and I couldn't wait. We spent the rest of the night in each other's arms, as close as two people can be, until dawn took her under.

As I watched her rest, I replayed the events of the day, realizing what a crazy situation I was in, and what was more surprising was that I accepted it like it wasn't all that unusual to be hanging out in an underground room with a vampire. What did I know about vampires? How did a relationship with one work? I wasn't naïve to think that it would be easy. Would it mean going underground and hiding like we were right now? Did I want to live that way?

I had myself convinced the best thing for both of us would be to slip away while Sookie was resting, never to be seen again. I could put this all behind me and make my way to Wyoming as I originally intended. It would be easy to move on, and never look back, eventually forgetting this bizarre world I stumbled into. Every time my head agreed it was the right thing to do, my heart weighed in and stopped me, reminding me how Sookie filled an empty part of my life. I didn't want to go back to that life—I wouldn't survive.

But I could help Sookie with my talent, and we might be able to figure out how to make it work. There were so many unknowns. We needed to get out of this precarious situation with Victor, Felipe and the town first. I had no idea where we were on Sam Merlotte's property, but it couldn't be far from town. Maybe a visit to Battle Mountain during the daylight hours would be just the ticket to learn how we could fix this mess we were in.

I tucked the covers around Sookie and covered the entrance to the underground room as best I could, and I ventured from the old mine shift into the daylight.

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Thanks for reading! Comments are always welcome! *hugs*, tm


	13. Chapter 13

**The Cold Before Dawn: Chapter 13**

These characters aren't mine. They belong to Charlaine Harris. I wish she didn't sell them to Alan Ball.

I always say "Thank you" to my beta Kristin Elizabeth, and to be honest, it never really feels like it is enough for all she does for me. Kristin always seems to inspire me when I need it. She can knock me out of my writing blocks with her encouragement, and is an awesomely talented writer herself. So big hugs and kisses to you, L'sis. You are the best.

And one last pimp for my friends, Northman Maille (Alison) and Northwoman (Anne). They are hosting the I Write the Songs Contest, and details can be found at

http : / / i-writethesongs (dot) blogspot (dot) com / Please consider entering!

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**Eric POV**

The cold desert air hit me when I crawled out of the underground mine. Even though the sun was just starting to rise, I shielded my eyes. It had been a few days since I had been out during the daylight, and my eyes were sensitive to the light. It was cold enough to see my breath.

For miles, all I could see was the brown dirt of the desert, and the sagebrush that dotted the landscape. I had no idea how I was going to find my way back into town. Again, I thought about going back underground, and crawling back into bed with Sookie. It was tempting. But I needed my things from the hotel, and my truck. I looked around and didn't see any vehicles, or roads for that matter, and wondered how Sookie even got us out here.

I scanned the horizon, looking for any landmark that might give me a clue as to which way to start walking, since I had no idea where Battle Mountain was in relation to this abandoned mine. The only thing I saw was an eagle flying low across the desert, no doubt hunting for its breakfast. Without thinking about it, I started walking in its direction. Having seen an eagle around Sam's office, I followed the huge bird's path across the sandy dirt of the Nevada desert. I stopped every once in a while to build a marker out of rocks and stones so I would know how to get back. I hoped I would be able to find it, and that I wasn't putting Sookie at risk.

Around two hours later, I saw a trailer off in the distance. Even though I was thirsty, hungry, and tired, I quickened my pace. As I neared the trailer, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Merlotte's. Parked out front was Sam's truck, and I could hear him inside as I approached the door.

The trailer door swung open and Sam beckoned me in, looking in both directions before he pulled the door shut and locked it. He swung around and barked at me.

"Eric—why aren't you with Sookie? Is she all right?"

"She's fine. What do you know about her bar, and what's been going on in town?"

The coffee pot beeped and Sam grabbed two cups and yanked open the box of donuts on the work table. He filled up the coffee and we both sat down at the table. The coffee was strong, hot, and tasted like heaven. The donut I inhaled tasted even better. Eating was one of those things Sookie and I were going to have to work out when the dust cleared.

"I've been staying away from town until I hear from Sookie. Is she safe?"

"Yes, she's safe. I need to go into town and check out of the hotel. Can you drive me? I want to check out the bar, and what's going on around town, too."

"Did Sookie send you here?"

"No, she doesn't know I'm gone. She's resting, and I want to be back by the time she gets up. That would be sundown, right?"

Sam turned around and looked at me, unsure about what to say.

"I know what she is, Sam." I reassured him.

"Finish your coffee and we'll go into town."

Sam went over to the closet and grabbed his jacket, then reached in again for another. He pulled a baseball cap out of the locker, too.

"Here, it's cold out there, and put that cap on." He handed the coat to me, and I put it on. He did the same. I drained my cup, and Sam poured me another to take with me before turning off the coffee pot.

I finished my coffee while Sam drove, and neither one of us said anything until just before we got to Battle Mountain.

"I'm going to drive around by the bar so we can check it out, and then I'll take you to the Owl. Get your stuff, check out, and get to your truck. I'll wait for you out back in the parking lot to make sure no one is following you. We don't know who knows about Sookie, or you, in this town, and I don't want to linger. Better to be safe than sorry—you got that?"

"Did the people in town know who ran Sookie's bar? It seems like some of them knew. That Amelia…the girl that works at the Owl restaurant…she warned me about Sookie and I didn't believe her."

"Some of the town's people suspected, but most of them keep to themselves. Every once in a while, someone gets a wild hair up their ass and decides to open their mouth. They usually get sent on their way if they get too vocal. If you know what I mean."

We were almost to town now, and I stowed my empty coffee cup under the seat. I pulled the brim of the baseball cap across my eyes, and hunkered down in my seat. Sam was about two blocks from the Silver Dollar.

He didn't really have to slow down when he drove past. There was nothing there. It was as if the bar had never existed. All the debris from the bombing, whatever was left, had been removed. What used to be a bar, now looked like a parking lot. Two days and everything was cleaned up. Someone had to have paid big bucks, cleanup like that took time, and money. I wondered who was responsible for it.

Sam shot me a worried glance as he drove to the Owl Restaurant and Casino. There happened to be an open spot next to my truck and he parked there. He didn't have to remind me to be quick. I wanted to get out of this place and back to Sookie as soon as possible. I was planning on leaving here with Sookie right quick. I hopped out of Sam's truck and kept my head down as I walked to the front door of the Owl. It was almost lunch time and both the bar and restaurant would be full.

I glanced into the restaurant to check if Amelia was working. I didn't see her, so I decided to order a couple of sandwiches for me and Sam, and I would pick them up on my way out. I placed my order and headed to my room. It was ransacked, as I suspected it might be. Luckily, I didn't travel with much, and there was nothing for anyone to steal or any information to gather from my belongings besides what size I wore. I learned long ago, when you travel from town to town, you don't keep your important stuff on you. All of my personal papers I kept in a safe place in Louisiana. It wasn't the first time someone tried to rip me off.

My suitcase was spread open on the bed, and I started to throw the clothes scattered around the room into it as quickly as I could. I went into the bathroom and gathered up my toiletries. It took no more than ten minutes to pack up my stuff. With a quick look around the room, picked up the suitcase and headed to the front desk to check out.

The clerk at the front desk gave me a strange look, trying to catch my eye as she closed out my account. I heard her wondering if I was the guy involved with the bombing the police were looking for, but she really didn't care one way or the other. She wasn't going to help the local police, from what I heard in her head as she tallied up the charges. When she asked how I wanted to pay, I had a moment of panic thinking I would have to get out my wallet. For all I knew, it could be covered in blood or guts or gore, since I hadn't opened it since the bombing. I breathed a sigh of relief when she told me she could use my card number they took when I checked in. I was almost out of there.

I waited for my receipt so she wouldn't be suspicious if I ran out without it, and I turned and looked in the restaurant again. Amelia was standing behind the counter, and when she saw me looking at her, she turned away with a guilty look on her face. As I walked into the restaurant, she scurried to take an order at the end of the counter, but I could still hear her thoughts.

_Just get out of here. Don't talk to me. Go away. Go away. Go away._

The other waitress at the counter dropped my sandwiches into a bag and gave me the total.

"You want any drinks or chips with that?" She asked, and then I heard her thoughts. _Sucker paying that much for a sandwich—wonder if that cheapskate put any meat on it._

"No thanks." I answered.

"That will be twelve dollars and seventy five cents then."

I handed her a twenty. "Keep it."

I grabbed the bag of sandwiches in one hand, my suitcase in the other, and left the Owl with a determined stride. It had taken no more than fifteen minutes to pack up, check out and get something to eat.

I was patting myself on the back for being quick, and didn't realize that something was wrong until it was too late. Sam was sitting in his truck, staring straight ahead, not looking at me at all. Before I had time to think about that, I heard someone's thoughts in my head.

_Get him._

And then I was slammed up against my truck and something, maybe a gun or knife, was being pushed under the bottom of my ribcage.

"So you think you're slick, don't you. Messing up my plan. But the bar is gone, isn't it? Mission accomplished. Now all I need to do is take care of you and that vampire bitch of yours."

_Loser. Hanging around with vamps._

I could see Sam now, his eyes the only part of him moving, as he tried to see what condition I was in. I suspected that one of the arsonists was in his truck, and the other two were behind me. I could hear a jumble of their thoughts.

_Hurry up. Get him in the truck, what are you waiting for. _That came from the creep in Sam's truck.

"Get in the truck, loser. We're going for a ride. Donny, you go with Whit in the other truck. I'll take care of this one. It would be my pleasure to end him right now, for all the trouble he's caused."

_Let's get out of here before someone sees us_. Donny thoughts aligned with the nervousness I saw in his actions.

I opened the truck and got into the driver's seat. Arlo held the door open until I had the seat belt on, and then moved the handgun from my ribs to under my chin.

"No funny business. I'm walking around and getting in the passenger seat." He opened the door locks from my console on the door. "You try anything, and I'll shoot you right here in your own truck and bury you in the desert where no one will find you."

I looked over at Sam again, and he gave his head a little shake in defeat. He knew we weren't in the position to do anything to get away. We had no weapons on us, and we were outnumbered. Arlo closed the driver's door and walked around the front of the truck to the passenger side.

He hopped in, and said with a smirk, "Drive asshole. Follow them."

Arlo gave Donny a signal, and Sam started his truck and drove to the exit of the parking lot. I followed him out, and we drove back in the direction of Merlotte's mining. I listened to his thoughts along the way. There wasn't much to them, but one thing caught my attention.

_Victor is going to pay me big bucks for this._

Victor. He was alive.

He would be going after Sookie, and I had left her alone. What had I done?

I tried to get more information from Arlo's mind, but all he could think about was getting money from Victor and how he was going to spend it. I could tell he was a little bit afraid of Victor, though, because every once in a while he worried about it, at least in his head. Another interesting little tidbit I pulled from his mind was that their guns were loaded with silver bullets.

They planned to call Victor at sundown and have him come to Merlotte's mining trailer. I learned from Arlo's mind that Victor had tortured them last night, making it clear that they needed to find me and Sookie if they wanted to stay alive. I looked at my dashboard clock, and it was three in the afternoon, sundown would be in four hours.

As we pulled in front of Merlotte's mining office trailer, Arlo checked his gun.

"Turn off the truck. Before we get out, I want you to know something. If Victor doesn't kill you tonight, I'm going to. Either way, you're dead tonight. You caused me a world of hurt with your little stunt, so start doing whatever you do to meet your maker, because you are going down tonight. Now get out."

Whit had Sam by the arm, and Donny stood at my door, waiting for me to exit, while Arlo got out on his side. Donny unlocked the trailer door with Sam's keys, and waited for Whit and Arlo to throw us inside, before he locked it back up again from the inside. They immediately looked through Sam's cabinets and closets, until they found some rope and duct tape. Donny used the duct tape to secure Sam's wrist together, placed a piece of duct tape across his mouth, and tied him to a chair. He waited for Arlo to give him the signal to tie me up, too.

"Just the wrists. I might want to knock him around some." With that directive from Arlo, Donny taped my wrists together, before parking himself on the couch with Whit.

I tried reading Sam's thoughts, but his mind was quiet and his demeanor resigned. There wasn't much we could do with Arlo, Donny and Whit in the small trailer. We watched them eat the sandwiches and donuts, while they waited for sundown. It was obvious Arlo was in charge, telling Donny and Whit what to do, and when to do it.

At sundown, Arlo went outside to make his call to Victor, and around an hour later, I heard a car drive up. Arlo opened the door, and welcomed Victor and two others into the trailer. When Victor saw us, he smiled broadly.

"Well, Eric." He ran his cool hand down my cheek, and then grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. "Not so sure about yourself now, are you? Perhaps you and Sookie should have thought twice about trying to foil my plans, because now, you are both going to die. And where is the lovely Miss Stackhouse?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her."

"You are lying." He struck me, knocking me off my chair. A trickle of blood escaped my split lip. Victor grabbed me by the arm, lifting me back into the chair. His finger brushed over the blood that oozed from the cut, and then he leaned over and licked my bloody lip clean. He smelled like dirt.

"Very tasty, Eric. If you hadn't betrayed me, I might have wanted you for my own pet. Unfortunately, it's too late for that."

When he was done, he looked at Arlo and barked out an order. "Get his cell phone."

Arlo came over and went through my pockets. When he found my phone, he handed it to Victor, who opened it. He found the number he was looking for and pressed dial, and then the speaker button, so we could all hear the conversation. The phone rang twice before Sookie answered.

"Eric! Where are you?"

"Ah, Miss Stackhouse, so lovely to hear your voice. This is Victor, in case you didn't know. I have your pet here with me. Say hello, Eric."

"Sookie! Don't listen…"

"That's enough. If you would like to see your pet again, you will meet me in one hour at the coordinates I will send to you in a moment. Come alone. Do you understand?"

Sookie's voice was hard and cold, like steel. "Victor, this is between you and me. Let Eric go."

"Really, do you think I will fall for that? Oh, no. You and I will resolve this once and for all. Winner gets the human, and the loser gets final death. One hour. "

Without waiting for a reply, Victor hung up the phone, and then pressed buttons on the keypad. I assumed he was sending the coordinates to Sookie. I had to do something to help her, to stop Victor from going after her.

"Leave Sookie alone, Victor. I'll go with you and do whatever you want. Just leave her alone." I pleaded.

"How very touching, Eric. But I will be killing her anyway, so let's have some fun first, shall we? You'll have plenty of time to show me your skills, unless of course I decide to drain you while Sookie watches. Now there's a thought. " He put his finger on his chin as if he was considering just that.

With a flick of the same finger, Victor signaled to his two bodyguards. They pulled me from the chair, and dragged me to the car, throwing me into the back seat. I wondered what they were going to do to Sam, but I couldn't hear anything.

After a few minutes, Victor got in the back seat with me, while the two bodyguards occupied the front.

"Let's go," he said to the driver. Then he turned to me.

"So Eric, does Sookie know you are telepathic?

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Thank you so much for your support of this story. I'm so thankful for all the readers and reviewers. *big hugs* to you too! And as always, I'd love to know what you think of the chapter, so feel free to leave me a comment! tm.


	14. Chapter 14

**The characters aren't mine. They belong to Charlaine Harris. I just shook them up a little bit.**

**Smooches and hugs to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth—she is the best!**

**Any remaining mistakes in this are all mine!**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Sookie POV**

My eyes flickered open, and I knew something was wrong. My underground hideaway was silent as a tomb, no sounds of human breathing or heartbeat. Eric was gone. There was no note, no explanation. He had changed his mind and left me. That empty space inside was back, and I recognized it as sadness, —a human emotion, long forgotten.

Maybe it was for the best, he was safer now, and if he was truly gone, I hoped he was far from this place. I had a feeling things were going to get ugly. He had made the right choice.

I wondered when he had decided to leave—was it before or after? Was that last time just a good-bye fuck? That nasty feeling in my gut throbbed again, at the same time my fangs descended, prompting me it was time to feed. It was a good reminder I was a vampire, and these pesky human emotions would only get me into trouble. I had better get focused if I was going to make it.

I was still dealing with Victor, Felipe, the bombing of my bar, my missing vampires, and how the hell I was going to get out of this intact. As I grabbed a bag of blood from the cooler, and drank it down cold, I told myself this was not the time to be heartsick over a human. It was for the best. Maybe if I kept telling myself that, I would believe it…someday.

There was plenty to worry about, without thinking about Eric. Pam and Bill were still missing. I would not let myself think they had been killed in the blast, instead, I chose to believe they were in hiding from Victor and Felipe and whoever else might be involved in whatever was going on here. It would be a smart move. When Eric told me of the bombing plot, I asked Sam to bring in his demolitions expert to move the charges to concentrate the blast at the front of the bar, instead of in the back, where Victor's humans had placed them. I had Sam's guy bypass their detonator, so we could control when the blast was going to happen. Clancy's job was to clear out as many of the area vamps from the bar before the charges detonated, hoping to trap Victor in the blast. Bill was supposed to keep Victor busy at the bar. He was closest to the charges, and was in the most danger, but I had faith he found a way to avoid the blast. Pam stayed close to me. They all wore ballistic vests for some protection, to prevent serious injuries that would take long to heal. We were all taking a big gamble, but I had faith in my vampires, and in Sam. Until I saw their ashen remains, they still walked this earth, as far as I was concerned.

I had not heard from Sam either. He wouldn't chance calling me, I knew. He knew how to be careful. He worked hard to keep his true identity hidden from the town, and he wouldn't risk getting connected to me while the town cleaned up from the blast. He played it smart, and safe. His mining office was close enough to fly to from here, and that was what I would do after a quick shower. There was no time to sit around pining for a human that was better off in his own world.

If Victor or Felipe found out about Eric's telepathy, they would use him, although what they would do to him would probably be more like abuse. I shuddered to think what Victor would do…would he turn him, risking Eric's loss of telepathic powers in order to have a hold on him forever? That seemed like something Victor would do. Felipe would surely make Eric a part of his court, to use at will. Eric would be their prisoner for life, or maybe longer. Yes, it was better Eric got away from my world.

The shower was cold, and annoying, so I didn't linger. I toweled off, dressed, and was ready to get out of this underground tomb. When I climbed to the top of the shaft, I was surprised to see that Eric had placed some brush over the entrance to hide it from plain site. The gesture touched me, and took the sting out of his leaving. I had things to do now, though, and little time to think about Eric. I had my area vampires and my own undead existence to worry about.

The cold night air blew around me, swirling the dust and dirt of the desert into my face until I flew high enough to avoid it. The five mile flight to Sam's trailer took no longer than 10 minutes. Two trucks were parked in front of Sam's trailer, one of them Sam's, and the other…Eric's.

He should have been long gone by now. What the hell was he doing at Sam's?

I landed silently on the roof of the trailer, listening. There was nothing special about the first voice I heard, he seemed like a lackey, just following someone else's orders. The second voice was whiney, always asking the third human, obviously the one in charge, what do.

They were waiting for Victor. Shit.

Then I heard Eric, telling them to leave me alone and to just take him to Victor, and a wave of feelings rushed through me, with no time to really think about what those feeling were. I didn't hear Sam at all, but I could smell him there, even through the hard metal of the trailer, as his scent wafted out a cracked window.

Three humans inside, with Sam and Eric—I could easily kill the humans, but I worried about injuring Sam and Eric in the process. The tight space of the trailer could be dangerous for a fight and I didn't want to take that chance. But once I heard Victor was on his way, a different plan came to mind. This might be my only chance to complete what I started, and my deep desire to make Victor pay for what he did to my bar convinced me to wait. I flew from Sam's trailer to a spot in the shadows where I could watch for Victor's arrival, and set my cell phone to vibrate. Then I waited.

Twenty minutes later, I could see the headlights of an approaching car. Victor exited the car along with two other vampires I assumed were his bodyguards, and they all went into the trailer. I moved closer to the trailer to hear what he was saying, and to make sure that Eric was okay. I knew Victor wouldn't kill him, yet, because he would use Eric to get to me. Hearing Victor taunt Eric raised my anger, and when I heard the sounds of Victor knocking him around, I hated it…and I hated Victor with more passion than I had before. As much as I wanted to crash that trailer when I heard Victor hit Eric, I had to control myself, for now. Victor would be dead tonight, this I knew.

My cell phone vibrated with a call from Eric, and I flew quickly away from the trailer to answer it. Even though I knew it was Victor calling from Eric's phone, I had to act surprised.

"Eric! Where are you?" I hoped I sounded convincing.

"Ah, Miss Stackhouse, so lovely to hear your voice. This is Victor, in case you didn't know. I have your pet here with me. Say hello, Eric."

Relief washed over me at the sound of his voice."Sookie! Don't listen—"

"That's enough. If you would like to see your pet again, you will meet me in one hour at the coordinates I will send to you in a moment. Come alone. Do you understand?"

Bastard, I knew he wouldn't go for this, but I had to try. "Victor, this is between you and me. Let Eric go."

"Really, do you think I will fall for that? Oh, no. You and I will resolve this once and for all. Winner gets the human, and the loser gets final death. One hour. "

Victor hung up the phone and a few moments later, I received a text message with the meeting place. I forwarded the message, adding a note that said "one hour" and closed the phone. Minutes later, the two vampire bodyguards had Eric between them, dragging him to the car, while Victor followed. Once inside the car, they left in a cloud of dust, driving across the desert in the direction of the meeting place.

I debated following the car, or checking on Sam, but I flew back to my hideaway to grab an assortment of knives and a sword for my fight with Victor. I strapped the knives to me, hiding them under my shirt, making sure I could pull them out quickly when needed. The sword I concealed in the long black coat I wore. I still had time to spare before meeting Victor, so I decided to take care of the filthy humans that held Sam captive in the trailer. They would die tonight too, a warm-up for later.

I flew back to Sam's and landed silently on the top of the trailer. My rage flared when I heard a fist hit Sam, followed by the thud of his body hitting the floor. His groans became louder as I heard more pounding on him. I assumed the humans beating Sam were also responsible for bombing my bar, because of their affiliation with Victor. Whatever the case, their fate was sealed.

"Arlo, what are we going to do with him? Can we kill him?" The lackey said.

"Yeah, Arlo, why do you get all the fun?" The whiney one said.

"You'll get your chance, but we'll do it outside. You two are sloppy and I don't need your cleanup," Mr. Bossy said.

There was more scraping of metal against metal, and the front door flew open with a bang. Sam was pushed out, his hands taped together, and his body fell to the ground with a groan. It looked like his legs were not working. Sam lay in the dirt, his body still. I wanted to rip the roof off this trailer and kill every last one of them inside, then drain them. I could smell Sam's blood from my perch on top of the trailer, and my fangs ran down at the thought of killing the humans. I smiled at their plan to leave the trailer; it would be so much easier to kill them in the open desert. They wouldn't know what hit them.

The pathetic humans walked out of Sam's trailer, each one giving a hard kick to Sam's body as he lay on the ground. In spite of the beating he had already taken, he was still alive.

"Donny, grab him and bring him around back." Mr. Bossy said, while he walked around the rear of the trailer.

The one named Donny grabbed Sam by his belt and before he could drag Sam in the dirt, he was dead, his head wobbling from the knife wound that cut him from ear to ear. He fell next to Sam, who groaned loudly to camouflage the sound of the body hitting the ground. Sam watched as I pulled out a second knife.

As the humans walked around to the rear of the trailer, the whiney one spoke, his voice muffled because he didn't bother to turn around. "Hey Donny, let's go. We don't have all night."

With a knife in each hand, I crept behind them, letting them see me in that moment they turned around when I plunged the knives in their backs. The whiney one I killed quickly, slicing savagely into his heart. The back wound I had given Mr. Bossy left him alive, and I was going to enjoy my next move. I sunk my fangs deeply into his jugular, drinking the thick flow of blood into my throat, the human's heart slowly pumping the blood into my mouth. It wasn't as satisfying as feeding from an uninjured human, since the blood pumped slowly, but it would do for tonight. I thought of my demolished bar as I drained him.

It took all of two minutes to kill all of them and Sam's eyes were wide as he watched.

I used one of the knives still in my hand to cut the duct tape binding Sam's hands and, I gently removed the tape from his mouth.

"Are you okay, Sam?"

He nodded, rubbing his hand over his mouth in an attempt to remove the tape residue. I helped him sit up. He stretched and moved in an effort to ease his beaten body, but by then, I didn't have any more time to spare. I was meeting Victor in 20 minutes.

"Sam, you need to get out of Battle Mountain. If anyone saw you with those creeps, they will be looking for you when they find the bodies. How were they able to capture you and Eric?"

"I took Eric into town to get his things, and they jumped us behind the Owl. It was broad daylight and I couldn't chance shifting in public. I was hoping I'd get a chance once we were away from town, but they tied me up." He paused and then stood. "I'll take care of the bodies, Sookie. You go take care of Victor. I'll shift when I get done and meet you there."

He groaned a little when I hugged him. "Thanks, Sam. I've got to go. Don't want to be late to kill Victor." I gave him a little smile, and nodded my head. "And promise me you will get away from here, no matter what happens, okay? It won't be safe for you."

"I will, Sookie. Just take care of Victor."

"I plan on it."

I still had time to make one more call…to Clancy.

I dialed his new number and waited for him to pick up.

"Sookie?"

"Have you heard from Bill or Pam?

"No, nothing."

"Clancy. I release you from fealty to me. Get the hell out of Battle Mountain. Tonight."

"No, Sookie. I'm staying. What can I do to help?"

"I want you to be safe, and Battle Mountain is not safe for us anymore. Go. If you ever hear from Bill and Pam, tell them they need to stay away, too."

"Alright, Sookie. I'll do it, but I'd rather stay and help you. If you make it through whatever it is that you are not telling me, I'll try to find you."

"Goodbye, Clancy." I knew I might not see him again, and immediately closed the cell phone before he could try and talk me into letting him help.

Sam was already gathering up the bodies, his shifter blood healing him much more quickly than human blood. He would be okay, I knew, and if he got out of town, that would be even better. I didn't have time to help him clean up, and just as I was getting ready to leave, he called to me.

"Sookie?"

I turned around, and he was standing right next to me. He grabbed me in a fierce hug, and I hugged him back.

"Look Sookie, if you don't make it…I'll try to get Eric away from Victor. I wanted you to know that. And as soon as I get this mess cleaned up here, I'll be there." His voice was raspy, and his face sad.

"It will be all right, Sam. Don't worry. Thanks for taking care of this. Thanks for everything." I gave him a big smile, trying to let him know that I was confident I could take care of Victor, hiding my own emotions over the fact I might be saying a final goodbye to my friend.

"I have to go, Sam. See you soon." I flew away without looking back.

The area Victor designated for our fight was nestled at the base of some foothills on the outskirts of the desert. There were many hiding places for his men, and I was certain he would take advantage of that. He thought he lured me into his trap, I was certain. I found a spot to wait for his arrival, and I considered my options. I would be outnumbered, but I didn't know by how many. Even if I managed to kill Victor, his numbers could overpower me as I tried to leave with Eric.

My only chance would be to kill Victor, grab Eric and fly away as quickly as possible. Victor would know this and keep Eric away from me. The only way I would come out of this alive was if my backup plan worked.

Within a few minutes, I saw headlights approaching. They were easy to see in the dark desert. I waited for Victor, followed by Eric and the two bodyguards, to exit the car before I made my presence known.

He was dressed in black, and his two bodyguards held Eric firmly in their grasp, about 50 feet away. Just close enough for me to grab him and fly, I thought with relief.

"Victor." I called to him.

"Ah, Sookie. Nice to see you. I'm looking forward to our little contest. Winner gets the telepath, right?" He taunted.

I looked over at Eric. His mouth and hands were secured with duct tape, but there was anger in his eyes as he looked at his captors. That anger softened when he finally rested his eyes on me, but I turned away quickly.

I decided playing dumb would be a good move. "Telepath? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come now, Sookie. You knew he was a telepath—that's why you want him for your own, isn't it? And he's already offered his services to me, if I let you go. Of course, that just confirmed what I already knew, since I had a night to do my own investigating. I will admit it was a challenge to get what I needed in short time. It didn't take much to trace him to Louisiana, and his friend John Quinn was very forthcoming as to his special abilities. So there you have it. "

"Victor, you are mad. What do you think you are going to do with him? Give him to Felipe? He's going to want to know why you killed his Sheriff, and bombed the bar that provides revenue to his coffers."

"Ah, do you think so? I have a plan for our dear King as well; similar to the one I have for you. Your pet will be mine, and I will use his services. So let's get this over with, shall we? I have a King to overthrow, and don't really have time to waste with you."

The silence of the desert was disturbed by a loud cry of an eagle, and a great bird swooped down, his talons almost touching Victor's hair. When Victor moved to get out of its path, I pulled the sword from my coat, ready to fight. The eagle continued to go after him, screeching loudly. At the same time, we all noticed the headlights of another car approaching in a cloud of dust.

Victor turned to look, and I could feel his agitation from the interruption. I tensed for a fight at any minute. The car was a dangerous diversion and when I heard the eagle screech in warning as he flew overhead, I tensed. A moment later, I heard a thump next to me, and Felipe DeCastro stood in front of us, brandishing an elaborate sword in his right hand, his black cape flapping around him from his flight.

"Victor, what is the meaning of this?" Felipe growled.

From the way Felipe was standing, he would swing that sword to kill. I didn't know when. Backing up seemed like a good idea.

*Sookie Stackhouse is holding out on you, Felipe. She's got herself a human telepath and she's—"

I heard a whoosh and a thud, and saw Felipe's sword moving slowly back to his side. Victor was turning into nothing but a pile of ash, stinking in the cold night air. His head rolled to a spot at Felipe's feet. My standoff with Victor was over, my backup plan saving me. The bodyguards released Eric and dropped to their knees in front of the king.

Eric ran toward me, almost tripping over the rocks and brush in his path. I ripped the tape from his mouth, and hands and he grabbed me to him in an embrace. His body trembled against mine—I didn't know if he was shaking from what just happened or because he was happy to see me, or both, but he felt so good in my arms. After a while, I pulled back and looked at him.

"Eric, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sookie. Are you okay?"

I laughed. "Okay" didn't quite cut it, but it would do. "Eric, I'm good."

Eric pulled me to him, his lips on mine causing a heat to flow through me. I had almost forgotten Felipe de Castro standing next to me, until he cleared his throat, causing us to break the kiss. Eric kept his arms around me, though, holding me close to him.

When I saw Felipe's face, I felt a twinge of fear flicker through me. His dark eyes bored into mine, and then he spoke.

"And now Miss Stackhouse, what shall I do with you, and your human?"

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_I want to thank each and every reader that takes time to read this little story. Your reviews mean the world to me. And a big thank you to everyone who has put this story on alert or your favorites. I'm very thankful for your support. *hugs* tm_


	15. Chapter 15

**The characters aren't mine. They belong to Charlaine Harris. I'm having a little fun with them.**

**Many thanks to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth—she is the best!**

**Any remaining mistakes in this are all mine! Thanks for your patience, I know it's been a while since I updated.  
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Chapter 15

Eric POV

As we pulled away from Sam's trailer, Victor grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his eyes. He sat next to me in the backseat of the town car, and unlike the first time I met him, my head hurt as his gaze drilled into my eyes. Whatever he was trying to do, he was giving it all he had. With effort, I controlled the feeling I had to twitch at the pressure in my head, since I didn't want to give Victor the satisfaction of knowing he could affect me, even in the smallest way. That dull pain pressed against my brain, right next to the anger I felt over what he was doing to Sookie.

There was little doubt in my mind I might not make it through the night. The vampires could decide to kill me anytime, and nothing I could do would stop them. In spite of my obvious disadvantage, instead of overwhelming fear, I felt the pump of the adrenaline flowing through me, and it felt great. For some reason, call it fate, I trusted Sookie. If there was a way out of this, she would know, and taking her lead in this situation was the smart thing to do.

I didn't say a word on the ride into the desert, although I thought about my circumstances at that very moment.

It was only a couple of weeks since I wandered into Battle Mountain, and now I was driving into the middle of the Nevada desert with three vampires, gagged and bound with duct tape, to meet up with my vampire girlfriend for a duel to the death. My life had gotten very interesting, very fast. If I died, at least it wouldn't be from boredom.

We drove for a while before the car stopped, and the two vampires pulled me out. Victor closed the car door and stayed inside for a while, while the vampires dragged me to a spot a distance away while holding my arms in a tight grip. I tried to relax and let my eyes get used to the darkness. I thought I saw a shadowy figure fall from the sky to the ground, just before Sookie appeared out of the dark. For a brief second, I wondered if she could fly, and somehow that explanation didn't seem bizarre to me.

The two vampire bodyguards tightened their hold on me when she approached, and again when she called out to Victor. Did they really think I could get away? Or were they worried that Sookie could somehow free me? Then Victor's voice interrupted my thoughts, and my anger rose front and center when he spoke to her.

"Ah, Sookie. Nice to see you. I'm looking forward to our little contest. Winner gets the telepath, right?" Victor taunted.

I kept my eyes on Sookie. I knew she would have a plan, and I didn't want to derail it. Besides, where was I going to go? As I listened to both of them talking about me, twinges of uneasiness passed through me. Was this how Sookie really saw me—nothing more than property? My thoughts were sidetracked when I heard Victor reveal how he knew about me. John Quinn. It didn't surprise me that he was the source of information. John Quinn always hated his lot in life, and in spite of me trying to convince a change of scenery might do him some good, he chose to stay in Louisiana. He would be happy to give Victor any information he had in exchange for money. It wasn't that John Quinn spilled the beans about me that surprised me; it was that Victor was able to get to him in such a short time. He had to be both smart and ruthless to pull that off so quickly. When he revealed he was planning to kill Felipe as well, I knew he would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Sookie and I were just small potatoes in a grander scheme—expendable. It didn't look good for us, not at all.

And then so many things happened, I wasn't sure I even knew their order. A flash of Sookie holding a sword, an eagle with his talons in Victor's hair, and another car approaching, all seemed to happen at once, but when Felipe de Castro landed with a thump and a flourish within feet of us, all those previous events paled in comparison.

When the flash of his sword took off Victor's head as he spoke, and the two vampires holding me fell to their knees, I didn't know whether to brace myself or to breathe a sigh of relief. I ran to Sookie, practically throwing my body at her in protection, hoping she wasn't going to be next to lose her head.

She ripped the duct tape from my mouth and hands, and I barely felt the sting of the glue separating from my flesh, because all I could think about was protecting her, any way I could. I had no idea what Felipe de Castro had in mind for us, although it didn't seem likely he would kill us mid-embrace. I wrapped my arms around her, and covered her mouth with mine, kissing her as if it would be our last. For all I knew, it might be, and I wasn't about to stop until Felipe de Castro grunted to get our attention.

From what I could see in the darkness, Felipe de Castro looked tense and very intimidating, standing there holding that sword in his hand.

"And now Miss Stackhouse, what shall I do with you and your human?"

Sookie pulled away from me to face Felipe de Castro. "I have very little to give you Felipe. My bar is gone and my area vampires dead or scattered. I have little to bargain with, so what can you do to me besides take my life?"

"Ah, you underestimate your value, as well as your bargaining power, Sookie. You really should think about that in the future. How about your telepath?"

"Who says he's a telepath? That was Victor's lie to turn you against me."

Felipe gave Sookie a hard look, and then looked at me.

"Victor seemed to be convinced of its truth."

"Victor would say anything to get you to believe him, right before he took your head."

"Your bluntness is…refreshing, Sookie. That may be true, but I'm not a stupid man. Don't you think I would check out something like that?"

Sookie stiffened, but said nothing. I could see the gleam of his teeth as a smile creased his lips.

"Here is what I am offering you, Sheriff, and I think you will find my offer most generous, under the circumstances. I am aware you have wanted your freedom from my kingdom for some time now, and I am inclined to grant your request, as it suits my plans. You may be released from your obligation to me, and leave Nevada without my protection to fend for yourself…and your human."

I didn't know what that really meant, but it would get us out of Nevada, and I was all for that. However, Sookie hesitated.

"And if I don't accept?"

Felipe de Castro looked past Sookie at me, before he directed his gaze back at her. "I do have another offer you could consider."

"What is it?"

"You have proven yourself to be a fair Sheriff to your vampires, successful in your business, and you have peacefully coexisted with the humans in town, at least until recently. It would be unfair to throw you out on the street, so to speak."

Felipe pulled a card from his pocket, and handed it to Sookie. "Be there in seventy two hours and you will have protection for you and your human. There will be conditions, of course, but it will be the fresh start you have been looking for. You must be there in seventy two hours though, or the deal is off."

Sookie looked at the card. "Generous Felipe, very generous as a matter of fact, but if I might be blunt again, what's the catch?"

Felipe laughed, and lifted his sword, examining the blade. Suddenly, there was a little more tension in the small space of the desert. Victor's two vampires still knelt at the exact spot they were standing when Felipe flew in, and I could feel a palpable tension from them now, as Felipe moved his sword around. In a flash of darkness, Felipe sliced both their heads from their bodies, with a single stroke of his sword. Then he pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the blade.

"It's up to you, Sookie. It is a very generous offer. Things are changing and humans are becoming aware of our existence. You might consider that. As for how might you repay my kindness? I may have the need of the services of a human telepath in the future, and I would hope our long-standing relationship would be enough for you to assist in any way you could."

Sookie didn't say anything as she looked at the card again, and then slipped it in her pocket.

"All right. Thank you, Felipe."

"Take Victor's car." He paused for a moment. "You are released, Sookie Stackhouse. I hope we meet again someday."

I expected him to take off into the sky, but he walked toward the limo. The driver got out and opened the door for him, and within a few minutes, they drove away in a cloud of dust, leaving Sookie and I standing there, looking at each other.

"What's going on, Sookie? What was that all about?"

"Come on, we have to get out of here." She headed toward Victor's car.

"Wait! Are you sure you want to get in that car? What if Victor booby trapped it or something?"

Sookie laughed. "Good thought, but I'm sure Victor didn't think he was going to lose. Wouldn't hurt to check it out though."

Sookie sniffed around the car, particularly around the grill and then under the front end.

"I don't smell any explosives. It's clean. Come on, we've got to get out of here."

Sookie looked to the sky before she jumped in the driver's seat, and waited for me to get in.

"So, where are we going? What did that card say?"

She pulled it from her pocket and handed it to me before she started the car. I turned on the overhead light and read the address on it. New Orleans, Louisiana.

"Louisiana?"

"You are coming with me, aren't you? I assumed—"

I reached over and grabbed her hand. "Yes, I'm going with you. It's just, I haven't been home, I mean, back in Louisiana in a while, that's all."

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"Don't think so. Just a little surprised, that's all." I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it. "I'm going wherever you are going, Sookie, if you want me to come with you."

"Of course I want you to come with me. I know there's been lots of crazy stuff going on with this Victor situation, but a fresh start doesn't come along every day, and we should take it."

Before I knew it, we were pulling up right next to my truck, in front of Sam's trailer, where this crazy night started.

"Watch out, Sookie. Those creeps from town might be lurking around here somewhere. I don't know where they went after Victor left."

"Oh, don't worry about them; I don't think we will be hearing from those losers again. We need some maps from Sam and I have to stop at the mine for a few things but if we are going to make it to Louisiana in seventy two hours, I'm thinking we better get moving."

"Why can't you just fly us there?" The words flew out of my mouth.

She put the car in park and became very still, as if she was contemplating something. Then she turned to look at me. "You saw me then?"

"Well, I thought I saw you, but I really didn't believe it until I saw Felipe fly. What else can you do? It might be a good thing for me to know."

Sookie looked away. "Do you think we can talk about this later? We really should get moving." She paused, and looked back at me. "As for flying us there, the distance is too far, and we wouldn't have enough time to get there, since we would only be able to travel at night."

"Let's go then." I opened my door and got out of the car, waiting for Sookie to come around from her side of the car. When we got to the door of the trailer, I pulled her to me and kissed her. Her mouth was hard and tense, and her body stiffened in my arms.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Do that again." She relaxed a little.

This time, I pulled her to me gently, taking my time to ease my lips over hers, in a tender, undemanding way. She put her arms around my neck and opened her mouth, letting our tongues rub against each other as our bodies responded, demanding more contact. I heard a soft click and the next moment, Sam was standing in the open doorway of the trailer, as I stood there with my arms around Sookie.

"Sorry to disturb you two, but I thought you might be wanting to get on the road. You've got a long drive ahead of you, and you'll need some time to rest up."

I had no clue how Sam knew where we were headed, but he already had some maps spread out on the table in the trailer, and he ran his hand through his hair in between showing us the different routes we could take to get to New Orleans. We opted for a twenty-two hundred mile southern route that would take us through Utah and New Mexico, then east across Texas to Louisiana.

"That route should take you around 34 hours, and if you alternate driving, you should get there in plenty of time, Sookie." Sam said, as he paced the trailer.

"Great Sam. That will work. Can I keep these maps?"

"Sure, Sook. What about your other problem?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I was thinking we could take Victor's car, but there is no way my travel coffin will fit in the trunk, so that's out."

"Can it fit in the back of my truck?" I offered.

"Your truck could work, but I'd feel better about it if you could darken the windows in the back some way. The less people can see, the better, and once we are on the road, we don't want to be messing around with moving the travel coffin, either."

"Hey, wait a minute. What about that old van of mine that I use at the mine? It doesn't have any windows on the sides, and the windows in the back have some reflective film on them, so it's hard to see inside."

"That could work, but it's kind of old. Do you think it will make it to New Orleans without breaking down? We don't have a lot of time, and can't chance getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere."

"I just had it tuned up right before Eric started working, so yeah; I think it will make it."

"Well, I think we should take my truck. We can figure some way to block the windows in the back."

Sookie didn't say anything at all. She sat at the table, looking at the driving route on the map, while Sam paced around the trailer. He was waiting for Sookie to decide what to do. I thought we should be on the road already, and I was relieved when Sookie finally spoke.

"We'll take the van, and we can even throw a mattress in there for Eric to get some sleep. But Sam, if we don't make it to New Orleans in time, we might as well be dead, all of us, because Victor's men are going to be looking for the three of us, and without protection, we won't stand a chance. So if you have any doubts at all about that van, now is the time to say it."

Sam went over to his filing cabinet and shuffled through the folders inside, until he found what he was looking for. He opened it over the cabinet drawer, looking for something. When he found what he was looking for, he smiled, holding the slip of paper in his hand.

"The van was inspected and serviced a month ago. It's all good, Sookie. It will make it to New Orleans in time. I'd drive it myself in your shoes."

Sookie nodded her head. "Okay then. I'd swap you for Victor's car, but we really should get rid of that car."

Sam nodded his head. "It would be a nice car, Sook, if it wasn't Victor's. I'll take care of it."

"Thank you, Sam. I appreciate that." Sookie said, and then she looked at me.

"Eric, we need to talk."

"I'm going to get that van now," Sam said.

There was a long silence between us after Sam left the trailer. I wanted to hear what she had to say, and a feeling of unease passed across my mind, followed by a flash of Sookie standing on the side of the road, alone in the dark. _Her thoughts_. She was worried she was going to be alone. Then another flash of Sookie, reaching out to me as I walked away, followed by an almost imperceptible wave of sadness.

I reached across the table and took her hand. She still hadn't said anything, and I could almost feel her bringing her emotions back under control. I didn't like that she was feeling sad and uneasy about us, but at least there was something I could do about it.

I gave her hand a light squeeze to get her attention, and looked her in the eye. "I'm going with you, Sookie. I'm not leaving."

"You need to know what it means for you if you come with me, Eric. You will be getting in deeper with my kind, and it will be harder to hide what you can do. While some vampires will be trying to steal you away from me for you telepathy skills, others will try to hurt you to get at me. It will get dangerous for you, and there's no going back either. You know too much about us, and you won't be safe on your own. That's what life with me will be like. It's not too late for you. Maybe it's better for you to leave now, by yourself. Just drive away, go back among humans, and you can have a relatively normal life. If you come with me, you will never have that again. So I'm asking you again…are you sure this is what you want?"

Sookie's face could have been a mask, for all the emotion I could see on it as I looked at her after her little speech. The truth was I had made my decision well before this moment, that I would stay with her…that I wanted to stay with her. My instincts told me that Sookie and I could be happy together, if we could get a break from some of the craziness we were going through. From what she just said, I wasn't sure we would have that chance, but if I left her now, there would be NO chance.

Without hesitation, I answered. "You can try to scare me away all you want, but I'm going with you, Sookie."

A smile creased her face, and she squeezed my hand. We sat there for another minute, holding hands, looking into each other's eyes, until she heard Sam pull up out front.

"Okay, Eric. I'm glad you are coming with me. Yet, I still feel like I should put you right in your truck and send you on your way. I don't want to see you get hurt…again."

I stood up, and pulled her into my arms. I kissed her, my lips running over hers with the promise of more.

"I'm staying with you." I whispered in her ear, and she relaxed against my body, for a moment. When we heard the door of the van slam shut, and Sam's footsteps on the steps, she looked up at me.

"Sam's back. We've got to stop at the mine to get a few things, then we best get on the road. You should try to get some sleep while I drive, too, since you have the daylight driving. How about your things? Do we need to stop at the Owl on our way out of town?"

Sam walked into the trailer, giving us a quick glance before going back over to his filing cabinet. While he searched for something, I answered Sookie.

"No, I have all my stuff here, in my truck. I had Sam take me into town so I could get my things. We were jumped in the parking lot by those idiots that tried bombing your bar. What happened to them after I left, Sam?"

Sam looked at Sookie, and smiled.

"They won't be hurting anyone, anymore, and let's just leave it at that. Some things you are better off not knowing, don't you agree, Sookie?"

Sookie turned to Sam and chuckled, surprising me. Everything had been so very serious all night long, and the sound of a lighter voice seemed to put everyone at ease, all at once.

"Yes, I do, Sam. I guess we are ready to go then, once Eric gets his stuff out of his truck."

Sam handed Sookie some slips of paper. "Just in case. Here is the registration and owner's card for the van."

She stuffed the papers in her pocket, and grabbed the keys from the desk where Sam had left them.

"Thanks for everything, Sam. And you should really get the hell out of Battle Mountain. Soon.

"I will Sookie. Now get going." Sam grabbed her in a hug, then forced a smile on his face and turned to me with an outstretched hand.

"Good luck, Eric. Take care."

"I will, Sam. Thanks for everything."

Then he turned around and shuffled some papers on his desk. He didn't look up as we left the trailer.

Sookie jumped in the van, starting it up, while I grabbed my duffle bag and suitcase from the back of my truck. Then I went around to the driver's door, opened it, and tossed my keys on the front seat for Sam. I was abandoning my old life, just as I was abandoning my truck here with Sam—and I didn't care.

I threw my bags into the back of the van and climbed into the passenger seat. Sookie put the van in gear as soon as I sat down, and took off across the desert. It wasn't long before we were at the entrance to the mine. We left the van parked at the mouth of the mineshaft and went inside to retrieve what we needed for the trip. Sookie had clearly been prepared to leave town at a moment's notice. Inside one of the underground rooms, she had a large box, which looked like a long cardboard shipping box from the outside, but inside was a wooden box, lined like a coffin, that sealed tightly before the cardboard exterior hid it from view. It fit perfectly inside the van, and I breathed a sigh of relief. There was also a small foam mattress for me to sleep on while Sookie was driving. We would be living out of that van the next few days.

After loading the travel box and mattress into the van, at which time I found out that extra strength was also one of my vampire girlfriend's attributes, we went back to the underground room. Sookie opened a safe located in the corner, pulling out papers and stacks of cash, which she shoved into a small duffle bag she retrieved from a cabinet nearby. She moved quickly, her movements looking like a blur to me. She didn't say much, except to direct me to get the cooler from the opposite corner. I looked inside, and it was full of water, and a few bags of blood. I wondered how much blood she needed to survive, but it didn't seem like a good time to get into that conversation. I picked up the cooler and waited for her at the doorway to the room, as she scanned it for whatever else she wanted to take with her. She took one last look around, and nodded her head to me that she was ready to go.

I stepped aside so Sookie could start her ascent up the mineshaft, following behind with the cooler in hand. We loaded the van, making a last check that everything was secure in the back, before Sookie took the driver's seat and we were on our way. It wasn't long before we were driving east on the interstate, across the Nevada desert.

"You should try to get some sleep, Eric. It's been a long day, and I need you to drive when the sun comes up, if we are going to make it to New Orleans in time."

"I know, Sookie. I'm just a little wired right now."

She looked over at me and smiled. "Well, if we had more time, I'd pull the van off the road, and show you how we can take care of that nervous energy, but unfortunately, we'll have to find some other way."

"Cute. So, is your life always this crazy?"

"Well, not like the past few days, but in my world, someone is always trying to take over, or kill, or get rid of…someone else." She shrugged. "You learn to deal with it, and adapt. I've been lucky in that respect, though. It wasn't like Battle Mountain was a hotbed of excitement, so the other vamps, especially Felipe, left me alone, but I'm wondering what he is up to. "

"Do you know who we are going to be meeting in New Orleans?"

"No, but I can take a guess or two, and I believe there is more going on here besides me getting asylum in another state. If Felipe believes you are a telepath, I don't know why he would let you leave his kingdom. You would be useful to him." She shrugged. "Guess we'll find out soon enough."

I didn't have anything to say to that, and we both became quiet. The next thing I knew, Sookie was shaking my shoulder. It was still dark, but a quick look at the dashboard clock said it wouldn't be dark much longer.

"Eric, I have to go now." She said, as she nudged me.

It took me a second to remember where we were, but I did my best to shake off the fog in my head. It had been over twenty four hours since I had anything to eat, and a cup of coffee would be like winning the lottery right now. Instead, I had to focus on what Sookie needed me to do.

"Okay, Sookie. What do you need me to do?"

"Just check to make sure that the box is all closed up back here. It has a mechanism to lock from the inside, but I want you to double check, okay ? "

"Okay. Are we stopped? Where are we?"

"We are about an hour south of Salt Lake City. I pulled over at a rest stop, in case you needed to use the facilities."

"Thank you. I'm going to go take care of myself and I'll be back."

I used the restroom, washed up, and scraped together enough change in my pockets to get a cup of really bad coffee from a vending machine. But it was hot, and caffeinated, just what I needed to drive, once Sookie was settled in. When I got back to the van, I opened the driver's door and saw she was preparing the box in the back. I closed the door and locked it. As she was about to get inside the box, I placed my hand on her arm, and got her attention.

"Come here for a second." I said.

She scooted toward the front of the van, and got as close as she could. I leaned over, my hands on her arms drawing me toward her, and kissed her, long and deep. Sundown was so many hours away.

"I'll see you soon, and don't worry. I'll take care of you."

She touched my cheek, and kissed me softly. "I'll see you tonight."

Sookie climbed into the box, and pulled the lid over her. I leaned back to make sure that the top was locked tight, and then checked the outer cardboard was in place. As I looked over the box, I wondered what else I would learn about my vampire girlfriend over the next few days.

^V^

I drove during the day, stopping when I needed to eat, or use a restroom, or just get away from the drone of the highway for a while. I stopped at places where I could keep an eye on the van, making sure no one got near Sookie in her daytime rest. When the sun started to set, I found a place to park that was off the highway, and I waited for Sookie to rise. I stretched out on the foam pad next to the travel box, and waited. As soon as it was completely dark, I heard the lock on the box click, and Sookie pushed the lid open. She looked around, her face blank, until her eyes rested on mine, and then she smiled.

"Hello there." She said.

"So, do I ask you if you had a good rest? I'm not sure what the protocol is here." I said with what I hoped was a joking voice.

She laughed. "No protocol—and you can ask. Everything go okay today?" She started climbing out of the box, which wasn't easy inside the van, but she managed to do it without bumping her head.

"Everything went well. We're outside a little town called Shiprock, just into New Mexico. No problems, and the van is running well."

"Good. Where did you put that cooler, Eric?" I pulled the cooler closer to her, since it was by my feet, and she opened the lid. She pulled out the two bags of blood inside, and was about to sink her fangs into one, when she looked over at me.

"Sorry, I need this when I wake up. You don't have to watch if it makes you uncomfortable." Sookie waited for me to answer.

"You don't want to drink from me?" I asked.

She put down the bag in her hand. "Are you saying you would let me?"

"Yes, of course. Fresh has got to be better than that bagged stuff, right? I just thought that you would take what you needed from me, unless of course, that would kill me, in which case, drink the bags." I said with a smile.

Sookie looked at the two bags of blood, and then at me. I could see her trying to decide what to do. I handed her my hand, and she took it, running her thumb over the tendons and veins in my wrist.

"Go ahead, do it." I said.

With a sharp sting, her fangs penetrated the skin at my wrist. I shifted my position, so I was behind her, and she could easily hold my wrist to her mouth. She removed her fangs slowly, and it felt like I could feel every centimeter of her fangs retreating from my wrist—and it felt heavenly. When she sealed her lips around the open wounds and pulled my blood into her mouth, pleasurable sensations rippled through me, and I put my other arm around her, wanting my body to be as close to her as my blood.

After a little while, she stopped, licked the wounds, and the feel of her tongue on my wrist made me want to take her right there on the foam mattress in the van.

She turned her head to look at me, and said, "Thank you." I pulled her toward me with my arm at my waist, and kissed her, the lingering taste of my blood on her lips, and in her mouth. Her cool hand caressed my neck as I kissed her and when my body reacted to her touch, I pulled my mouth away.

"I suppose we need to stop, or it's going to be a while before we get back on the road…"

She sighed, and then smiled. "You are right. We still have a long way to go, and if we don't get back on the road, I'm not sure we will."

I spent a few hours with Sookie before I bedded down for the night, keeping her company while she drove. I told her about the empty towns I passed through, and she asked me about the people I saw and the places I stopped. It didn't seem at all strange that she slept in a box during the day, and I was starting to be able to feel her emotions, along with flashes of her thoughts when she was awake at night. She seemed to have an uncanny sense of what I was feeling too. Whatever was going on between us, there was a definite connection. We talked for a while, before I said good night, and then I curled up in the passenger seat, a pillow behind my head to keep it from banging against the window. I slept, and woke in the predawn darkness as Sookie prepared her travel box.

We repeated this for three more days, crossing New Mexico and Texas, then into Louisiana. I made sure I ate lots of red meat when I stopped for meals, and I even picked up some iron supplements when I filled up the gas tank at a convenience store. I didn't want Sookie to worry about that.

I drove the van into New Orleans on the afternoon of the third day, happy to have made it in the required seventy-two hours, but apprehensive about what would happen that evening. Sookie didn't talk much about it during our drive, and I even wondered if she was planning on taking me with her to that meeting.

I found a little motel on the outskirts of the city, one where I could park the van right out front. I checked us into a room, and waited for dark. I spent my time developing my arguments for why she needed me to go with her. It felt good to be out of the moving vehicle. I went back out to the van when I knew she would be rising, and waited right next to the travel box like I had the three previous days. Only this time, when she rose, I would be taking her inside our hotel room.

She grabbed at my wrist as soon as we were inside the door, but I pulled away from her, slamming the hotel room door shut, putting the security chain in place. I turned back to her, and pulled her into my arms, and kissed her in a way that left no doubt about my intentions. Her fangs appeared and I thought I heard a little growl in her throat as I led her to the bed. She ripped my shirt open, pushing the fabric down my arms until it was off, and then turned to her own blouse, which she yanked off so quickly, I barely saw her do it. When she reached behind to remove her black lace bra, I stopped her.

"Let me do it." I said, hoping to slow things down a little. I ran my hands across her breasts, admiring how just a hint of her pink nipples showed through the lace. She moaned with impatience as I slowly reached to her back, and unclipped the clasp, dragging the thin straps down her arms. I flung it to the side, and pulled her to me, kissing her again, as we both rubbed our naked skin against each other. Her hands were at my belt, and soon, I stepped out of the pants that were now at my ankles, and then she did the same.

Her hands were on my hips, urging me closer, and when she moved her hand between us to caress my hard length, I couldn't hold back the low, guttural sound that came from my mouth. When her fangs scraped my neck, I thought I was going to come before I even entered her. I pushed her back on the bed, parting her legs, seeking entry into her silky softness. I knew it was probably too soon, and she wasn't ready yet, but I couldn't wait, and neither could she, as her hands, positioned me to enter her. I moved inside her with what I hoped was a gentle thrust, but I couldn't stop, didn't want to stop.

Her body arched as I entered her, pulling me in as she guided my ass with her hands. My body moved in time with hers, reaching up to meet mine in a wonderful rhythm that had me so very close to coming. It wasn't long before I could feel her body clench around me with her own orgasm, and when I thrust into her as I reached my climax, she bit into my neck, drinking deeply, and my entire body felt like it was on fire with pleasure. When she was finished, I bit into her shoulder and drank, licking a trail from that spot up her neck to her lips, and she screamed with a primal pleasure that shook me.

I held her to me as my body tingled from the pleasure. Even though my breathing was the only sound in the room, I could tell by the sensual look on her face that she was also basking in the moment. Later, when we could both think, her question surprised me.

"Not that I mind at all, but why did you bite me?" She asked.

"I don't know, it just felt like the right thing to do. I wanted to. I wanted to make you feel the way I feel when you bite me."

"Well, I loved it," she said, as she kissed my chest. "But you should know something."

I stopped stroking her arm. "What?"

"Every time you drink from me, we become connected to each other. If we do that enough times, it will be permanent."

"Oh, you mean, like I can feel your emotions, and you can feel mine? That kind of connection?"

"Yes." She was very quiet, almost worried.

"No big deal, that's been happening since we left Battle Mountain. I can sense and feel your emotions much of the time. I like it. Can you feel mine?"

"Yes, I can, and you are okay with this?"

"Well, I suppose there will be times that it will be …" I paused, looking for the right word. "…inconvenient, but I like being able to feel you. It's like knowing another part of you. So yeah, I'm okay with it."

"And you heard me say it's permanent?"

"Yes. I did. Is that a problem for you?"

"No… I've never had a blood bond with anyone before, that's all."

"Maybe I shouldn't bite you anymore, is that what you are saying?"

"Not at all. I love it when you bite me. I just don't want you to grow to hate me for the bond between us, that's all."

I looked her in the eye, my hand caressing her face. I kissed her lips softly, and looked at her again.

"Not going to happen. I want to be with you. I want to know everything about you. I want us to be together. I know your world is different from mine, and I don't care. So let's take it one day at a time, okay?"

She put her arms around me and hugged me close to her. When she pulled back, I thought I saw pink in her eyes.

"Okay, one day at a time sounds good, and we should start by getting ready for tonight."

I kissed her again, and it was a while before we got dressed for the meeting later that evening.

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Hope you enjoyed that! Please feel free to send me your comments! Thanks to all that review, favorite and put this story on alert.


	16. Chapter 16

**The characters aren't mine. They belong to Charlaine Harris. **

**Many thanks and hugs to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth. Any remaining mistakes in this are all mine.**

**

* * *

**Chapter 16

**Sookie POV**

"Do you want me to drive around the block again?" Eric asked.

We had found the address on the card Felipe had given me, and Eric circled the block in Sam's old van, giving me some time to look the place over. We were a few blocks from the French quarter, and the ground floor of the building looked like business offices, from what I could see.

"No, let's park over there." I pointed down the street, away from our destination. When we were about two blocks away, Eric parked the van in the first open spot he saw. He turned the key to stop the engine, and then looked at me.

"Are you sure this is going to be okay? Maybe we should just get the hell out of town, and try to make it on our own."

It wasn't fear that made him say that—I could feel his concern for my safety as it flowed through our burgeoning bond. I took his hand in mine, and let him feel that I was not afraid, and that I was glad he was with me. We sat like that for a few minutes, until the heat of our emotions started to spark other feelings in us. We didn't have time for that.

We walked down the dark street to the office building, and found the service door we had scoped out in our drive-by. There was a bell there, and I rang it. The sound was barely gone from my ears when the door opened quickly and we stepped inside. A slim, dark-haired, male vampire sat at a desk at one end of the service area, and he stood up as we approached.

"What is your business here?" he asked.

"I was given this card and told to be here at this time." I handed him the card Felipe de Castro had given me. He looked it over, flipping it back and forth between his long, thin fingers before he looked up at me. I tried not to cringe at the leering smile he gave me after he gave Eric the once-over. After a long moment, he picked up the phone on the desk, pressing a single button. Someone answered immediately.

"Visitors for upstairs. Two. Female vampire, human male. Okay." He hung up the phone. "You can wait here. Someone will be down for you."

Eric and I looked at each other, and I let him feel my emotions again. Vampires didn't become blood bound very often—most were too private to share something as personal and dangerous as emotions with someone else, especially a human. But I found I liked it, knowing he could feel me, and I could feel him. Just the thought of it made me happy, and as soon as that thought crossed my mind, I felt Eric squeeze my hand. We didn't need to speak a word, to say volumes to each other.

We waited like that until our escort arrived in the service area. Six vampires, completely decked out in weapons, entered the service area, making a tight circle around us. The desk vampire handed one of them my card, and he signaled to us to follow. We didn't see much in the dim light, nor was there time to linger as the vampires shuffled us along and into an elevator. Eric stayed right by my side, and I didn't feel or smell a hint of fear in him. I looked at him in amazement, since I harbored a dose of growing apprehension. I had no idea what we were doing here, or where we were going, but the number of armed vampire guards roaming the halls, guarding doors, and generally making their presence known, told me this was no ordinary vampire we were meeting.

As we walked down the hallway, I couldn't help but think how different this all was from Battle Mountain. Just two weeks ago, the cold, dirty and desolate Nevada desert was my home, and my solitary life had nearly bored me to early death. Yet tonight, I was in the warmth of the south, with a new human boyfriend in tow. Bonded boyfriend, no less. I was so far out on a limb here, and yet, it all felt so very right. To say things moved quickly for us was an understatement, and on top of all of this, we were both waiting for an audience with some unknown high-ranking vampire, or so it appeared.

Eric brushed my hand with his finger as we walked along and brought me back to the present. He smiled at me, not just with his beautiful mouth, but with his sparkling blue eyes, and that simple gesture made me forget the vampire guards all around us, and the feeling of imminent danger that had been with me since we walked through the door. His genuine happiness coursed through our newly formed bond, and the threads of nervousness snaking through me changed to something else. Protectiveness, pride, and maybe something deeper, that I couldn't distract myself with now.

He never wavered from helping me, and he had almost lost his life more than once because of it. His acceptance of me and my state of being was remarkable.

There was never any question I would have him come here with me tonight. I smiled, thinking about how he had expected an argument about that, and had almost been disappointed when he didn't get one. He had laid out his case for coming along with me while we dressed in the hotel room, so sure I was going to make him stay back at the hotel. We had been on this crazy journey together since the fateful night he stopped in Battle Mountain, and it was only right we rode it out together. With Eric's skills, and the newly formed bond between us, it just made practical sense for Eric to come along to help me "read" the vampires in attendance tonight. I told him there could be trouble, but whatever happened, I didn't think Felipe had sent us here for final death.

The six vampires that escorted us from the ground floor took us to a beautiful sitting room on the topmost floor of the building. From what I could see, the rooms around us were decorated like a residence, rather than a place of business. Dark, handcrafted tables with ornate chairs replaced the steel desks found downstairs. Artwork covered the walls and finely woven rugs protected the highly-polished hardwood floors.

One of our escorts handed the business card to one of the two old, huge, and very scary-looking vampires guarding an inner door, and then he gestured for us to sit down on a couch across from the door. We waited in the receiving room for thirty minutes. No one said a word. The sound of Eric's breathing seemed to echo in every corner. If not for the fact I had seen those old vampires move into their stock-still positions when we entered the room, I would have wondered if they were statues. They were downright scary and would have no trouble from me. I wondered what Eric heard from their heads. I'd have to ask him later.

After another long five minutes, the heavy inner door opened, and a short vampire appeared.

One of the behemoth vampires handed him the card, and spoke, "The queen will see you now."

_The Queen of Louisiana_. What sort of deal had Felipe de Castro made? I flashed Eric a quick look, and mentally asked him to follow my lead. He brushed up against me to signal he had heard me.

I stood, eager to get this meeting started. I didn't know what I had agreed to when I took that card from Felipe, but I was about to find out. Felipe's motives in sending me here were not altruistic—that much I knew. Just how far he sold us down the river I had yet to discover.

Eric followed me into the room, walking a few steps behind me. Somehow, he knew the protocol, and did not challenge it by doing something…human. But I couldn't think about Eric now. I focused on the short, male vampire walking in front of me. When he was almost to the center of the room, he stopped and turned.

To his left, sitting on a lovely, ornate settee was a tiny, impeccably dressed, female vampire.,There was no doubt of her title. The Queen.

"Sookie Stackhouse, may I present Sophie-Anne Leclerq, Queen of Louisiana."

I turned to face the queen, and lowered my head, waiting for her to speak.

"Good evening, Miss Stackhouse. Please introduce your human."

"Your majesty, this is my bonded, Eric Northman."

"Your bonded? How lovely. Please, come sit." She patted the empty seat next to her. "Miss Stackhouse, this is Andre, my lieutenant. Andre, please get a chair for Mr. Northman."

The male vampire brought over a high back chair and placed it behind the settee. When he shot a glaring look at Eric, I stiffened. The queen placed her hand on mine.

"Pay no mind to Andre, Miss Stackhouse. Mr. Northman is safe here, as are you. Now we do have some business to discuss." She turned to her lieutenant. "Andre, you may leave us."

"As you wish, my queen." He bowed low to the queen, and then gave me a threatening look as he left the room.

The door clicked closed, and Sophie-Ann turned to me.

"Felipe will be pleased you arrived safely—all his little dominos falling into place just so. Tell me, Miss Stackhouse, how much do you know of your former king's plan?"

"I was given a card, with this address, and told I would find protection for me and my human here, if I arrived within the allotted time. That is all I know." I answered.

"Excellent!" The queen bounced a little in her seat, and I took my first, good look at her. Probably a teenager when she was turned, Sophie-Ann might have seemed young, but her youthful looks and her current exuberance were misleading. She had a reputation of being a ruthless killer, like all of the regents. You didn't get that position by being nice.

"Mr. Northman, move your chair closer to us. I think you are going to enjoy this as well."

Eric stood and slid his chair next to the sofa. His leg brushed against mine, and even though he didn't look at me, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the hint of a smile cross his face. He seemed to be enjoying this.

Sophie-Ann picked up a remote from the table, pointed it at the wall, and pressed a button. A recessed television screen came to life, and the queen adjusted the volume.

A newscaster announced a special news report.

The image on the screen changed and showed a different setting, with a national news anchor sitting at a table with two other people. The news anchor introduced the person sitting closest to him as Mr. Baldwin, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. The person, or more accurately, the vampire, sitting next to him needed no introduction.

It was Felipe de Castro.

I thought I heard a snicker from the queen.

The lawyer spoke of the long-standing existence of vampires, how we lived among the humans, for years. He was very skilled, making our existence sound so natural…and benign. He glossed over our feeding habits, making a quick remark about how synthetic blood made it possible for us to exist without drinking from humans. Synthetic blood? I had no idea it even existed, but it sounded downright awful. The bagged blood I had served in the Silver Dollar barely cut it, and no self-respecting vampire would give up the pleasure of piercing warm flesh with their fangs in favor of drinking fake blood out of a bottle.

Next, he made a compelling argument for laws guaranteeing the rights of vampires, for our right to exist among humans, and for protection against hate crimes. When Mr. Baldwin asked Felipe to speak of recent injustices, I started to see all the events of the last two weeks falling into place, just like the dominoes my new queen had mentioned earlier. I cast a quick glance at Eric, whose eyes were riveted to the television screen. I looked back in amazement at my former king, and shook my head. Felipe had planned this all along, and now he was sitting on national television, exuding charm, and grace and looking devilishly handsome. Human girls were probably starting Felipe de Castro fan clubs already.

Behind Felipe's head, a video played. The sight of my bar, completely engulfed in flames, shocked me senseless. Eric's astonishment flowed through our bond, joining with mine. Was Felipe behind the bombing? I contemplated that while I listened to his words.

"This was one of my establishments, bombed and burned to the ground, by the people of the town that had no tolerance for vampires. At least four vampires and one human died in the blast and ensuing fire. We cannot idly stand by and let this hateful behavior continue. This particular restaurant operated for years without issue with the town. These types of heinous hate crimes should not be tolerated, no matter the victim…human or supernatural."

The lawyer touched Felipe's arm in a sympathetic gesture and then spouted more rhetoric about vampire rights. The news anchor tried to ask questions about the existence of vampires, but the lawyer glossed over them, focusing on the rights issue. Vampires living openly among humans? It was a great revelation, indeed, as much for the vampires as it was for the humans. I was just starting to appreciate the wide-ranging implications of the last twenty minutes, when I looked over at the queen of Louisiana.

Sophie-Ann had a small, but triumphant smile on her face, as she watched me, watching Felipe.

"Felipe is quite the politician, isn't he?" She asked, and I could only nod, not wanting to confirm any of that statement with words. "I believe I will need to keep my eye on him."

"This is all so…unexpected." I said.

In spite of Sophie-Ann's friendly demeanor, I wondered if she was going to let us live. We were a threat to her as former minions of Felipe de Castro, and she had to know about Eric, too. She could easily kill me, imprison Eric, and use him for her own purposes. With Felipe announcing all of our death's, on national television, it would be the smart thing to do. Eric felt my apprehension, and moved closer to me. Even so, I wouldn't be able to do much if Sophie-Ann decided he was hers. Had I walked right into Felipe de Castro's trap?

"No need to worry, Miss Stackhouse. Tonight is merely the beginning of much larger efforts. Revealing the existence of our race has been in the planning stages for some time, and the unfortunate incident at your bar provided the proper impetus for its execution."

Sophie-Ann turned off the TV with a click of the remote and walked over to her desk. She opened the center drawer and removed a large yellow envelope.

"Felipe spoke very highly of you, and of your loyalty to him. He was most impressed with your ability to thrive among the humans in that…location, until recently that is. He suggested you would be a good choice for Sheriff."

"Thank you, your majesty."

"The area I have in mind for you is in the northern part of the state. I have a bar in Shreveport that needs management, and it would be a perfect location for you to perform your duties as Sheriff. This envelope holds the deed to the establishment, made out in your name."

She held out the envelope to me, that same little smile on her face. I hesitated.

"I do not mean any disrespect, but what other expectations do you have, beyond Sheriff, that is?"

Sophie-Ann laughed, a little giggle that increased the tension I already felt. She was very adept at making the serious seem trivial. She placed the envelope on the edge of the desk.

"Felipe told me you would understand. I may require the services of your human, from time to time. Is that an acceptable arrangement, Miss Stackhouse?"

I resisted the urge to look over at Eric, and mentally ask him if it this arrangement was all right with _him_. I couldn't risk anyone knowing he could read vampire minds, in addition to reading human minds. If that secret became known, we would both be targets, and Eric would surely be dead, or worse, before I could do anything about it. Between his abilities and our bond, we were able to communicate with each other in ways that most people, vampire and human, could not understand, and I wanted to keep it that way.

"You majesty, your offer is very generous. I would be most pleased to serve as your Sheriff. However, I do have a small request of my own, considering the current climate."

"Go on."

"I will be happy to provide my bonded in service to you, as needed, but I must accompany him on any and all such requests. I may also require more security measures to insure his protection, and I would also ask that my bonded's skills be kept secret. Would that be acceptable?"

She gave me a hard look before she answered.

"Under normal circumstances, I might refuse and compel you to do as I say, yet, it is a momentous date, is it not? For that reason, I will agree to your request."

Sophie-Ann walked around and sat at her desk. "Anything else, Miss Stackhouse? I do have other guests to see this evening."

"No my queen, we have an arrangement." I picked up the envelope from the desk.

"Good, that will be all then. Andre will be in touch when I need you."

As if by magic, the door opened and Andre stood in the open doorway.

"Rasul will see you out," he said, gesturing with his hand we were to leave. Eric followed me out and still hadn't said a word.

Once back in the sitting room, a single guard waited for us. The two huge vampires still stood like stanchions beside the door. I waited for the inner door to close, and Andre to be out of site before looking at Eric. He reached for my hand and gave it a little squeeze.

"Follow me," said Rasul, the vampire who had taken my card from me earlier, and led the other escorts upstairs with us. I had a feeling I would be seeing more of him. We walked in silence back down to the service area, and out the door. It slammed shut behind us, and I heard a lock slide into place. I didn't breathe, but being outside in the open air was a relief.

We walked to the van in silence, and it wasn't until we got in that Eric had anything to say.

"That was a little intense, Sookie. I didn't know if she was going to kill us there for a moment. She thought about it—I heard her."

I looked at him. A chill went through me.

"Why are you worried now? We are through with that, right?" He said quietly, before reaching over and taking my hand. He placed a kiss on the back of my hand, and then held it firmly in his. "Tell me."

"Because if anyone finds out you can do what you just did, we will both be in serious danger. Let's get moving, okay?"

Eric kissed my hand again, and then reached into his pocket for the keys to the van.

"Well, it was all very interesting, I must say. I think I should tell you, that under normal circumstances, Sookie, I might be upset to be bartered over like a piece of meat. It just didn't seem like the time to argue with you about it. But for future reference, I'd like to avoid being treated like your food, okay?" He smiled at me, and there was no anger in his voice, but I knew there was a grain of truth in what he was saying.

"That's a deal, Eric. Things could have turned out much worse, you know."

"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. So I guess we're moving to Shreveport, then."

"Do you know of it? How far is it from New Orleans?"

"About six hours from here." He looked at his watch. "We can just make it there before you go to rest. Are we leaving tonight?"

We had just pulled up to the hotel, and Eric sat there, waiting for my answer. I wanted to say we would leave tomorrow, so we could have another night alone together, in that dingy, but private little hotel room.

"Sookie, I don't know what you're thinking about, but whatever it is, keep it up. I'm enjoying it immensely." His voice was soft and low.

I licked my lips and leaned into him, placing my hand on his neck. Then we were kissing, forgetting about everything else that had happened tonight. We melted into each other's mouths, and our lips and tongues explored and ignited our passion. A kiss so wonderful, that nothing else mattered at that moment. I don't know how long we went at it, but when I caressed Eric's lips with my tongue, I could feel the blood pulsating just under the warm skin, and I knew his lips had to be swollen from our kissing.

Oh, it was tempting to stay one more night in New Orleans. I pulled back from him, stroking his face. If I was going to protect Eric, I needed to keep thinking like a vampire Sheriff. I couldn't go back on all I had learned through the years as Sheriff. As hard as it was to say it, leaving tonight for Shreveport was the smart, and safe thing to do.

"We better go. I think it's best we get out of here, before the queen changes her mind."

"She can do that?"

"Of course." I laughed. "I think we'll be safe for a little while at least. We don't have much to pack."

We had everything out of the hotel room in a half hour. Eric paid the bill, and we were on the way.

Destination—Shreveport, Louisiana.

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Well, only one more chapter to go. Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, making this story your favorite, and putting it on alert!


	17. Chapter 17

**The characters are not mine. They belong to Charlaine Harris. **

**Many thanks and hugs to my lovely beta, Kristin Elizabeth. She has stuck with me through this entire story, and I love her for it. **

**Any remaining mistakes in this are all mine.**

**

* * *

Epilogue**

**Six Months Later**

**Sookie POV**

The bar that Queen Sophie-Ann gave me was a dump in a city in northern Louisiana—in other words, it was just like the old Silver Dollar Bar, only in a larger city. It took a while to get the place in shape for business, but three months after we arrived in Louisiana, the first advertised vampire bar in the nation opened in Shreveport, Louisiana.

We called it Fangtasia.

Red, black and gothic, described the décor at Fangtasia—although garish was another word that came to mind. It had been Eric's idea to go over the top and decorate the bar in the image of what the humans imagined a vampire bar would look like. Instead of an establishment that would blend in among all the other bars, Eric and I set up a vampire tourist attraction. He said we could make more money that way, and he was right. After only three months of operation, the bar was showing a tidy little profit. We would have to hire more staff soon, and we spent most nights laughing over the human clientele that patronized the bar in droves, hoping to catch a glimpse of fang.

Even though the queen had given the bar to me, Eric and I considered it "ours." He sat by my side at every decision, consulting and discussing whenever I needed help. He didn't get angry if I didn't ask him, since he knew I was an experienced bar owner, but I found myself taking his counsel often. He knew the ways of the southern people, and he helped me understand their different view of the world. It was all so new to me here, after years in the Nevada desert.

When it came time to hire staff, he felt my sadness, and although he never said a word, he knew the cause of it. We had not heard from Bill and Pam since the night of the bombing, nor had I heard from Clancy since we left Battle Mountain. They would have loved the place we put together. Eric held me when I missed my friends, and reassured me that Pam and Bill might still be alive, even though I had serious doubts they still walked the earth.

Now that vampires were out in the open, thanks to Felipe de Castro and unnamed others, there was no reason to hide, and promoting our bar as a vampire bar actually offered us more protection. Since the bombing in Nevada, the kings and queens and their lawyers continued their no-hate-crimes rhetoric, and human law enforcement treated us with kid gloves. No town wanted to be the next one accused on television of crimes against vampires, even if many humans believed vampires didn't deserve any rights at all. The vampire hierarchy twisted and shaped a new view of diversity and tolerance, while exploiting political correctness in modern society.

Not everyone embraced the presence of vampires in their back yard, though. But just as I did in Battle Mountain, I quickly let my fellow business owners and neighbors know that I believed in not bothering anyone who wasn't bothering me. When Shreveport Municipal Waste Removal kept forgetting to pick up the bar trash, a few "contributions" to their personal funds, along with a little glamour, had them putting us on their pickup route, permanently. The people of Shreveport left us in relative peace, although the religious fanatics posed a different sort of problem, picketing the bar. Their actions gave us some good publicity, but with their money, organization and their good versus evil rhetoric, I worried about their long-range plans. I would be keeping my eye on them.

Eric and I did all the work to get the bar ready to open, preferring to maintain a polite distance with the humans. Eric tackled most of the construction work required to bring the building up to code, and with his telepathy, he could easily identify the humans least likely to give us trouble. Our blood bond allowed us to communicate with each other without speaking, and we honed that skill as we negotiated for building materials and other goods. He also took care of any of our daytime obligations, such as meeting with inspectors and delivery persons, and others unwilling or unable to meet at night.

I rose every night in Eric's arms, his smile the first thing I saw. It was lovely waking up next to him, his warm body wrapped around mine. He had given himself to me in a way I hadn't thought a human man could, but he proved my thinking wrong—he trusted me, and loved me. After many years of loneliness, I was content, maybe more. I hadn't thought I was capable of this sort of happiness, and I didn't take a single moment of it for granted.

The bond between us matured and thrived, connecting us in a manner I knew other supernatural beings would find threatening. We were very careful about how we behaved in front of other vampires, not wanting anyone to know how tightly we were bound, or what Eric could do with his mind. Even though I knew he hated it, he played subservient to me when we were around other vampires. It only made me love him more, and I enjoyed healing his bruised ego later, when we were alone.

When we weren't at the house we shared in the suburbs, I managed the bar, and Eric was my bartender. We hired an area vampire as a bouncer, and with a couple of human barmaids, we managed. About a month after the opening of Fangtasia, Eric called me to the front, I was surprised to see Clancy and Bill at the bar, drinking V-Juice, the new synthetic blood Felipe de Castro talked about the night of the great revelation. I wrapped my arms around them both, so relieved to know that Bill had made it out the night of the bombing. They had been lying low, waiting for the dust to settle. No one had heard from Pam, and that made us all sad.

Clancy and Bill stayed on to help with the bar. Bill took over as bartender, with Eric providing backup when we got busy. With more help at Fangtasia, I started performing my Sheriff duties, and I collected a tidy sum for my queen, all within our first six months. Queen Sophie-Ann was pleased, and she allowed us to live in peace, refraining from requesting Eric's services. Eric and I rarely talked about our obligation to the queen, but with the bond, we didn't have to—the apprehension only began to describe our feelings about Eric playing telepath to vampire royalty. We decided it was best not to worry about it until it happened, and I knew it was only a matter of time before she called us back to New Orleans. Until then, we would do our best to keep her happy.

About a month later, we were surprised to open the newspaper to see a large advertisement for a new bar and restaurant opening in Bon Temps, a nearby small town. Merlotte's was a cozy little hometown place. Proprietor Sam Merlotte had sold his mining business in Nevada, moved to Louisiana and became a fellow bar owner. Eric and I surprised him one night, and we stayed up until almost dawn, talking about the events that brought us together. It was good to know my friend Sam was close by, and Eric appreciated the male companionship, visiting him whenever he was in the area.

I looked over at Eric, laughing with Bill at the bar. I smiled as I thought of the night he walked into the Silver Dollar Bar in Battle Mountain. Dressed in a dark green button down shirt, black jeans, and boots, he was just as beautiful now as he was back then. Most of the time, I thought our female clientele came to the bar just to see him. His blond hair was long now, and he wore it pulled back in a smooth ponytail. I loved how it fell around my face when he was on top of me, the silky tips brushing against my neck and shoulders. He looked over at me then, feeling my lustful thoughts, and he smiled back, sending a tingle through me.

As I walked across the bar toward him, he opened his arms and pulled me into his embrace. His gorgeous hands caressed my back, while he gave me a toe-curling kiss. I heard Bill mutter, "Get a room" as he walked toward the far end of the bar, giving us some privacy. Both Bill and Clancy enjoyed teasing us, and their easy acceptance of Eric as my bonded cemented my trust. I knew they would not only protect me, but they would protect him as well.

When there were Sheriff duties to handle, Clancy acted as my bodyguard, and Bill and Eric would be in charge on the floor.

I fiddled with the collar on Eric's shirt. "You two all set out here?"

"Yes, I think so. How long will you be tonight?" Eric asked, as he stroked my back.

"A couple hours, I suppose." I pushed a stray hair behind his ear, before running my hands down his strong arms. I let my feelings for him flow through the bond, and he leaned down and nuzzled my neck.

"Stop that, Sookie. You'll be canceling those appointments so I can take you in your office, if you keep doing that." Eric whispered in my ear as he pressed me close to him.

I laughed. "And wouldn't you just love that, Eric. Call me if you need me." He released me from his embrace, although he grabbed my hand as I turned away.

"I need you."

I returned to him, and kissed his lips softly. "I'll be done soon, and we can go home early tonight." I said quietly.

Eric leaned toward me for another kiss, when Clancy interrupted. "Okay lovebirds, you'll have to save that for later. Your first appointment is here, Sookie." Clancy said.

"Go." Eric said, after he gave me another quick kiss. I took a final look at him before leaving for my office with Clancy, and I sent him my love, mentally calculating how long it would be before I could take him home to our bed.

**Eric POV**

I had spent years hiding from the world, and in the end, it turned out that I was just in the wrong one. Somehow, I found a place in her world, or maybe I had just found her, and that was all that was missing in my life. When I become the bonded human telepath of a vampire Sheriff, somehow everything in my life felt right. Whatever the case, it was the first time I could remember feeling truly comfortable with my life, and with myself.

It wasn't as if her world was very different from the human world—in the end, the strongest survived, and the weak did not. That was not so different from the human world. There just wasn't all the bullshit. I spent a lot of time those first few months in Louisiana, trying to show her that it didn't matter to me that she was a vampire, as long as we were honest with each other. It wasn't as if the blood bond let us lie to each other, since we couldn't hide our feelings from each other. She worried that I would think we were bound too tightly, but I liked being connected to her. Our commitment to each other was much more than mere words.

My eyes followed her as she walked back to her office with Clancy. Her black v-neck sweater accentuated her beautiful breasts, and I fantasized about taking off the black lace bra I knew she wore under it. She turned around and looked at me, her eyes sparkling with desire. Yes, the blood bond came in handy for letting her know just what she did to me, and I took advantage of it often. She would be working through her appointments quickly tonight.

The bar had been open for a couple of hours and we had settled into the nightly routine. Sookie met with the area vampires in her office, when I heard Bill scream at the door. Well, it was more like a squeal, actually, and I could see him embracing a red-haired woman at the door. Someone from his past, I assumed. They talked for quite some time, and I took a closer look at her from my spot behind the bar. She was quite over-dressed for Fangtasia, wearing what looked to be designer clothes and matching shoes. When Bill nodded his head and she turned toward me, I didn't recognize her…at first. After all, it had been six months since I had last seen her.

I stepped out from behind the bar, keeping one eye on the doorway to Sookie's office. She had to be feeling my surprise through the bond, and would be wondering what was going on. I took the redhead's elbow and steered her toward Sookie's office.

"She is going to be so happy to see you." I said to her as we stood outside Sookie's office. I raised my finger to my lips for a moment, and knocked on Sookie's door.

"Come in."

I entered her office and gave a nod to Clancy for him to leave.

"Sookie, there is someone here to see you."

"I am finishing my last appointment, Eric. Can they come another time? I thought we would get home early tonight." She shuffled the papers on her desk while she talked, not looking up at me.

"Well, I supposed I could come another time—"

At the sound of the redhead's voice, Sookie stood up from her desk, and said one word before she ran straight into the woman's arms. "Pam."

A squeal much like the one I heard from Bill filled the room.

After many moments, and lots of hugging, Sookie finally pulled away from her friend. Pink tears streaked her face, and she touched Pam's hair. "I like the color, Pam. Where have you been?"

As Pam started telling Sookie all the details of where she had been for the last six months, I left the office, closing the door to give the girls some privacy. They would be there for a while, I was certain. Six months was a long time to think your best friend was dead.

I looked around Fangtasia, and realized it must have been close to closing. There were just a few patrons around, and the barmaids were cleaning their stations. I sat down at the bar with Clancy, and Bill served us drinks as the three of us celebrated Pam's return.

As I drank my beer with my friends, and felt the flood of joy in the blood bond I shared with my Sookie, I realized how lucky I had been to stop in the cold, dusty town of Battle Mountain six months ago. I said a silent thank you to the fates, and turned back to my new family, waiting for my sweet Sookie to take me home.

* * *

It's a little bittersweet to end this story. I will miss Sheriff Sookie and human Eric, but I've left the door open for more, if they should call to me again in the future.

Great big hugs to everyone that has read, favorited, and alerted this story, and double hugs to those taking a minute to leave a review. You'll never know how much you influenced this story. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I'm going to be taking a bit of a break from Eric and Sookie to write some Night Huntress fanfic under the penname OTD4500. This is a collaborative effort between myself and fellow fanfic author, Bontempscutie. If you haven't read the Night Huntress series and the Night Huntress World stories by Jeaniene Frost, you really should. So if you like action, adventure and angst, look for our story, Choices, coming soon.

Happy New Year to everyone… remember, leaving a review really does make a difference. *hugs* tm


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